A message from Board President, Rosie Bross-Rice

Hello A.B.L.E. Community,

My name is Rosie Bross-Rice, and I am the President of the A.B.L.E. Board of Directors. A.B.L.E.’s Cyrano de Bergeracwas my gateway into learning about—and loving—all things A.B.L.E when I had the honor of supporting the production while on staff at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2018. That same year, I signed up to be a facilitator because A.B.L.E.’s inclusivity and joy is just that infectious. By volunteering for three semesters, I learned how A.B.L.E. fosters creative spaces, supportive relationships, and the opportunity to discover oneself in the art-making process. A few years later, in 2022, I joined the Board of Directors to pour back into the A.B.L.E. community.

A.B.L.E. is experiencing an unprecedented threat to our performing arts programs because funders are changing their giving priorities. We have lost one of our largest institutional funders, and, last week, our funding from the National Endowment for the Arts was terminated. Given the circumstances, the board is facing some difficult budgeting decisions for the 2025-26 season. Without the bulk of our government funding, which accounted for approximately 30% of our operating budget over the past three years, the future of A.B.L.E. depends on you - our fiercely inclusive and committed community. 

We know that our collaborative arts programming supports the growth of transferable skills like communication, confidence, and emotional literacy for our participants. The arts nurture human connection, and we need you to champion this belief in order to close out our artistic season. 

We are fortunate to have received a pledge from a generous donor to match all contributions made today - Tuesday May 20th - up to $5,000. If A.B.L.E. has enriched your life, like it has mine, I encourage you to join me in supporting this vibrant, inclusive community. Please, make a donation of any size today.

Now, more than ever, we need to offer more opportunities for people of all abilities to connect with one another through the performing arts.

Thank you for your support.

Rosie Bross-Rice
A.B.L.E. Board President

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