A huge thank you to our community, staff, and faculty for the outpouring of support during the first few weeks of our 909 Revisited campaign. As you may know, we launched a new fundraising drive for the Armitage location with a GoFundMe campaign a few weeks ago on social media and with community groups online. Through direct donations and the GoFundMe drive, we've raised nearly $50,000 so far and can begin the first phase of our projects.

First, a few updates, pending contractor availability and schedules:

• We have installed and resealed the front street-side windows at 909 W. Armitage this July
• Exterior signage will be adjusted to both the hanging sign as well as new window graphics on the front. Work is expected to be complete and installed by the end of of August
• Facade repair and repainting is scheduled to begin this July, scaffolding will begin to be installed on Friday July 26 and the building will still be open and accessible to all
• The Parlor in front of the building will receive a refresh to be a more welcoming and easier-to-use classroom beginning in September
• A refresh is planned for 909 lobby furniture and decor throughout the current session.
• First floor restrooms will begin the first phase of modernization beginning in September

There is still quite a bit more to do, and we need your help keeping the drive running all summer! Help us meet our goal to raise the next $50,000 to complete all the outstanding projects, which you can read in further detail on the GoFundMe page. You can also help by sharing our GoFundMe on social media to your networks – every donation helps.

Our very good friends at KOVAL donated free passes for a cocktail-making class to encourage larger gifts for revitalizing 909 and to thank those who responded to the GoFundMe campaign.

The class brought 19 donors, volunteers and their guests together with Old Town School CEO Jim Newcomb, with Emily and Zach from KOVAL to learn how to make prohibition era cocktails. Each group of four period cocktails made with KOVAL’s premium liquors to be shared in small 1oz tasting glasses.

Laughter filled the room throughout the evening as each group mixed, tasted and joked with one another. It was just the sort of evening that we Old Town School-ers love to share with one another.

Thanks, KOVAL!

One day in late June, master luthier Dan Strack and Tim, our music store manager, met in the basement of the historic 909 W. Armitage building with an unusual goal: find old, disused wood that was good enough to make a few great guitars.

With a couple of old beams in hand, Dan then fashioned the wood into three unique T-style guitars—two of which would be auctioned off at the Blue Jean Gala and one of which would be raffled to raise funds for the effort to refurbish 909. He succeeded in building astonishing instruments, the first two of which raised a total of $15,000 for the school.

The guitars show every sign of being old, reclaimed lumber, with bodies covered in dents and old varnish that gives them their distinctive character. The rough-and-ready wood is offset by and shiny, top-of-the-line hardware and electronics, all of which come together to make beautiful-looking, great-playing and amazing-sounding instruments.

The raffle for the last one of the set will be held this fall. Don’t miss out on your chance to own, play and display one of these terrific instruments!

Jenny Urban, our award-winning chef from the Old Town School Café, hosted the school’s first ever acoustic brunch on Father’s Day (June 16th), and it was a ringing success.

Jenny sold out two seatings in the Jim and Kay Mabie Gallery, where 100 folks came together to enjoy Jenny’s delicious brunch specials and KOVAL cocktails while listening to the music of local bluegrass all-stars the Hopfielders Duo.

Don’t despair if you missed the first one! The next Acoustic Brunch is planned for September 8th. Look to the schedule for details and be sure not to miss the second one.

On Friday, June 14 the Old Town School of Folk Music hosted one of the most unique fundraising events in the city – Blue Jean Gala 2019. The evening began with a roaming feast through four, top-rated Lincoln Square restaurants: DueLire Vino & Cucina, Fork, Luella’s Southern Kitchen and The Warbler. Live music by Cajun and Creole band Les Haricots could be heard along the streets by guests and passerby alike.

WXRT Radio personality Lin Brehmer and magician John Railing entertain the audience before Lucinda Williams takes the stage. Photo credit: Robert Carl.

After dinner, Lucinda Williams and her band the Buick 6 graced the Gary & Laura Maurer Hall stage for a truly special Car Wheels On A Gravel Road 20th Anniversary performance. Guests kept the party going thanks to specialty cocktails generously donated by KOVAL, late night bites by Yum Dum, and live music by Get Up With The Get Downs.

Lucinda Williams performs at the Gary & Laura Maurer Hall for Blue Jean Gala 2019. Photo credit: Robert Carl.

As the School's largest fundraising event of the year, Blue Jean Gala 2019 broke records by raising nearly $530,000 to support the one-of-a-kind community programs and financial aid opportunities that make Old Town School accessible to all comers, regardless of economic means.

A special thank you to our 2019 Presenting Sponsor Chicago Capital as well as to all our generous sponsors and donors for making the Blue Jean Gala a success.

See more Blue Jean Gala photos HERE.

Join us for a back-to-school Open House on Sunday August 11th at 909 W. Armitage! This afternoon of free workshops and jams, dancing, sample classes and performances is a great introduction to our community for newcomers and an opportunity for longtime friends to try something new.

See the full schedule of events HERE

Our CEO Jim Newcomb will be talking about the state of Old Town School in a public community meeting on Saturday August 10th at 1:30pm in Maurer Hall in the West Building in Lincoln Square. Community members will have a chance to submit questions ahead of time and we’ll provide that info via email and social media in the next few weeks.