Enhanced Capital provided New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) financing to support the development of a new community arts center for Firebird Community Arts in Chicago’s East Garfield Park neighborhood – an area facing significant economic challenges where local organizations are working to expand opportunity and access to supportive community resources.

The project includes the construction of a 12,500-square-foot community arts facility that will serve as Firebird’s permanent home and expand its ability to deliver arts education, workforce training, and community programming for youth and young adults from Chicago’s South and West Sides.

Firebird’s programs combine hands-on training in glassblowing and ceramics with mentorship, trauma-informed support, and paid employment opportunities. Through initiatives such as Project FIRE, participants – many of whom have been directly impacted by community gun violence – gain technical skills, professional experience, and access to supportive services including case management and mental health resources.

The new center will include advanced glass and ceramics studios, classrooms and meeting space, artist studios, and gallery and retail areas where participants can showcase and sell their work. Firebird expects to increase their annual youth participation from their previous maximum of 60 to 180 individuals with the new expanded facility, the majority of whom come from low-income backgrounds.

The project is also expected to create and retain 43 full-time jobs and prioritize hiring from the surrounding community, supporting workforce development and expanded access to creative career pathways in Chicago’s neighborhoods. Enhanced Capital is proud to support projects such as Firebird that expand opportunity, strengthen local institutions, and aid the long-term vitality of underserved communities.