“The “Frida Kahlo: Timeless” exhibition, presented by the Cleve Carney Museum of Art (CCMA) and the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage (COD) June 5 through Sept. 12, has become one of this summer’s most notable events, not just for its artistic merit and educational value, but for its extraordinary economic impact on Chicagoland.
“Frida means business,” observed Director of the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce Dawn Smith. “With the economic slump brought to many local businesses from the COVID-19 pandemic, the ‘Frida Kahlo: Timeless’ exhibit could not have come at a better time.”
“DuPage County has long been known as a wonderful place to live, but ‘Frida Kahlo: Timeless’ is now letting people throughout America know that this is also a great place to visit,” said State Rep. Terra Costa Howard, D-Glen Ellyn.
The exhibition, which officially opened June 5, was anticipated to ultimately attract between 75,000-100,000 visitors. With still five weeks left in the exhibition, nearly 70,000 tickets have been sold, already representing more than $1.5 million in ticket sales alone. Of those tickets, nearly 20% have been purchased by out-of-state visitors. Ticket buyers have come from all 50 states plus 12 different countries. Says Beth Marchetti, executive director of the DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau, “While our numbers are preliminary, we know that the visitor spend has already surpassed the $8 million goal with Illinois visitors and with another $2 million from out of state and international.”
“Seeing the arts as an economic driver and engaging the community was very important to me. We spent a year planning and partnering with everyone we could from the DuPage Convention & Visitors Bureau to Choose Chicago, Chicago’s official destination marketing organization, to local business, and arts organizations. The power of partnership has taken the exhibition to a new level resulting in success for everyone who participated,” said Diana Martinez, Executive Director for “Frida Kahlo: Timeless” and Director of the MAC.
“‘Frida Kahlo: Timeless’ has had a significant impact on the economic development in our downtown, said Elle Withall, Executive Director of the Downtown Wheaton Association. “This summer our businesses have had record sales and we attribute that to to the Frida Fridays we created in celebration of the exhibition.”
“The impact of COVID-19 presented a huge challenge for our area businesses but the exhibit has had a major influence on helping our local economy rebound,” says Glen Ellyn President Mark Senak. “It has not only provided short-term economic benefits to our local businesses, but it has also served the Village’s long-term goal of establishing Glen Ellyn as a center for the arts in DuPage County.”
In recognition of the significant impact and influence of the exhibition on the central business district though community engagement, economic development and destination tourism, the city of Wheaton recently presented its Economic Impact Award for 2021 to CCMA, the MAC and COD. "The 'Frida Kahlo: Timeless' exhibition has had a tremendous effect on bringing people into Wheaton to dine, shop and explore, and it could not have come at a better time,” says Phil Suess, Mayor of Wheaton. “Local businesses faced extremely challenging times over the past year, so we are grateful for the boost this exhibition has provided our local business community. We have seen this materialize both from people visiting the exhibition looking for local places to eat or shop and through the Frida Kahlo-inspired events that our Downtown Wheaton Association and others continue to host."
“Frida Kahlo: Timeless,” on view now through Sept. 12, 2021, is the largest Frida Kahlo exhibition in the Chicago area in more than 40 years, and is hosted by the Cleve Carney Museum of Art and the McAninch Arts Center on the campus of College of DuPage (COD). It features a 26-piece collection on loan from the Museo Dolores Olmedo as well as a multimedia timeline, 100+ photographic images from the artist’s life, a children’s area, an architectural model of Kahlo’s Casa Azul and a Frida Kahlo-inspired garden designed by Ball Horticultural Company. The museum is located at 425 Fawell Blvd. For tickets, exhibition hours and more information visit Frida2021.org.
The exhibition is presented by Bank of America and made possible through support from the College of DuPage Foundation, Milly and Alan Peterson, Ball Horticultural Company, Wight & Company, Nicor Gas, AeroMexico, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Illinois Office of Tourism and the DuPage Foundation.