Krista Bryski Richard

Krista Bryski Richard (she/her) believes art should be accessible to all. She began her career at the Chicago Park District in 2000, responsible for programming special events city-wide, including movies, concerts, Theater on the Lake, sports festivals, Senior Games, Junior Citizens, and a wide range of events featuring Chicago’s robust arts and culture community.

Fast forward, 25 years, Krista now manages the team that is responsible for the Night Out in the Parks program, presenting hundreds of free cultural events each year that showcase music, dance, theater and other performing arts in EVERY neighborhood of Chicago. She built a coalition of community partners, artists, and staff to create a diverse and inclusive program that provides safe and welcoming space for families to experience and enjoy culture in their parks. In the past 13 years, the Night Out in the Parks program has partnered with over 400 artists and arts organizations to provide over 50,000 hours of free cultural programming to over 2 million people in neighborhood parks.