Kate Dumbleton

Kate Dumbleton is an Associate Professor in the Department of Arts Administration and Policy at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). Her work bridges artistic curation, social justice, and cultural leadership. During her 2020–2021 sabbatical amid the pandemic, she reimagined programming for the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, ensuring financial stability for staff and artists while adapting to public health constraints. She led the Hypocrisy of Justice: Sights and Sounds for the Black Metropolis project, a collaborative production involving jazz musician Dana Hall, writer/director Cheryl Lynn Bruce, and artist Kerry James Marshall, responding to Richard Wright’s Native Son. The project includes a symposium postponed to October 2022 due to the Omicron surge, featuring scholarly discussions on historical and contemporary contexts. Dumbleton also oversees the Hyde Park Jazz Festival as its Artistic and Executive Director, emphasizing community engagement and artist support.

Research & Projects:

• Commissioned interdisciplinary work integrating music, literature, and visual art.
• Developed a symposium to contextualize Native Son through artistic and scholarly lenses.
• Collaborated with SAIC’s Management Studio students on a sound installation for her project.

Advising & Grants:

• Mentored a student team in creating a sound installation for Hypocrisy of Justice.

Labs/Teams:

• Hyde Park Jazz Festival leadership.
• SAIC’s Management Studio collaborative projects.