Artist Bio

(Bio as of January 2022)

Henry Wishcamper was a member of the Goodman’s Artistic Collective from 2012 – 2022. He directed seven seasons of the Goodman’s annual production of A Christmas Carol and has directed and produced numerous productions, workshops, readings and events at the Goodman. He has directed, adapted, written and produced projects at theaters across the country including Steppenwolf, Manhattan Theatre Club, Atlantic, Guthrie and Old Globe.

Mr. Wishcamper now serves as one of the Directors of Community Development for Build Bronzeville. He is helping to lead the restoration of The Forum, a beautiful 1897 social and assembly hall adjacent to the 43rd Street Green Line Station in Bronzeville. For much of the twentieth century, The Forum stood at the center of cultural, social, political and commercial life in Chicago’s Black Belt. It then sat vacant for nearly 50 years. The restored Forum will offer 36,000 square feet of retail, performance, hospitality and community art space.

Mr. Wishcamper is currently enrolled in the Masters in Urban Planning and Policy Program at UIC, with a specialty in arts and cultural planning. His studies have focused on how on arts, cultural and recreational spaces can be catalysts for equitable hyperlocal economic, cultural and civic activity in historically disinvested communities. He is a member of Arts Alliance Illinois’ Arts Leadership Council and part of the research team for the We Will Chicago comprehensive plan’s Arts & Culture pillar.