CHICAGO TALENT DIRECTORY®
Resources for Local Talent
Chicago Talent Directory® (this site) ⭐
Chicago Talent Directory® is an independent, location-driven, curated online platform exclusively focused on Chicago and Illinois professional talent, being built to feature free talent profiles for casting and hiring, career resources for talent, and curated industry resources supporting Chicago and Illinois film, television, theatre, and media. Established in print in 1985, Chicago Talent Directory® was “Officially Recognized by the Illinois Film Office” in 1991.
The Showplace of Chicago Talent
Looking for a neighborhood, suburb, city, or studio location?
Visit the Chicago Talent Directory® Reference Maps.
Talent Resources Hub
Talent Resources
Chicago Talent Directory® is building this page as a starting point for talent navigating the Illinois market. Resources will be added and updated over time. Resources are listed alphabetically within categories.
Updated: July 2026
Creative Worker & Legal Resources
DCASE Creative Worker Resources
City of Chicago resource page for local artists, creative workers, and cultural organizations.
Legal resources for artists and arts organizations.
Be CAST! Be SEEN! Be HIRED!
Audition & Opportunity Sources
Chicago Artist Atlas
Chicago theatre focused resource for auditions, classes, theatre/company information, and artist career tools. Free account may be required.
Chicago Artist Guide
Directory and networking platform connecting Chicago artists, theatres, and arts organizations.
League of Chicago Theatres
Chicago theatre listings, theatre-community resources, and industry information from the League of Chicago Theatres.
Chicago-area theatre audition notices and theatre-market activity.
Unions
Actors’ Equity Association – Central Regional Office
Chicago
Union representing professional stage actors and stage managers.
Chicago
Union representing performers in film, television, commercials, voiceover, broadcast, and recorded media.
OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED BY THE ILLINOIS FILM OFFICE -- 1991
© 2026 Chicago Talent Directory®. All rights reserved.
Chicago Talent Directory® is a publication of Chicago Talent Enterprises Inc.
Chicago Talent Directory® is a federally registered trademark owned by Nanci T. Ponne'
Published by Nanci T. Ponné, Founder / Publisher.
Bookstores
The Understudy Coffee and Books
Edgewater
Theatre focused bookstore and café offering plays, acting books, readings, performances, and community events.
Professional Organizations & Creative Communities
Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago
Chicago organization supporting Black artists, arts organizations, and the Black arts and culture sector.
Chicago Acting in Film Meetup (CAFM) - NFP
Chicago film-acting organization supporting education, networking, and local film-acting resources.
Chicago Audiomakers Collective
A Chicago-area community for audio makers, producers, podcasters, voice/audio professionals, and related creatives, offering networking, events, and shared resources.
Chicago Film Events
Chicago film-community platform for discovering local screenings, festivals, workshops, networking opportunities, and industry activity.
Chicago Inclusion Project
Resources, programs, and audition opportunities supporting inclusive access within Chicago theatre.
Chicago Latino Theater Alliance
Organization supporting Latino theatre artists, companies, and theatre activity in Chicago.
Illinois Production Alliance
Industry organization supporting film, television, commercial, and media production in Illinois.
Illinois Theatre Association
Statewide theatre organization supporting theatre artists, educators, companies, and theatre activity across Illinois.
Independent Film Alliance Chicago
Organization supporting independent filmmakers and the Chicago independent film community.
State agency supporting the arts across Illinois. Their Local Arts Network maintains a statewide directory of local and regional arts councils.
See Chicago Dance
Chicago dance organization and resource for dance companies, artists, performances, and dance activity.
Women in Film Chicago
Professional organization supporting women and gender-diverse media makers in the Chicago production community.
Performing Artist & Presenter Resources
Illinois Performing Artist Index
A statewide resource connecting Illinois performing artists with presenters, venues, organizations, and others seeking live performance programs. The index is useful for those looking for touring artists, ensembles, musicians, dance companies, cultural programs, storytellers, variety performers, and presenter-ready live entertainment.
The Illinois Performing Artist Index is a collaborative effort between the Illinois Arts Council and the Illinois Presenters Network.