Sam Thousand - ChiBrations

Sam Thousand is an award-winning performing artist, curator, and social entrepreneur with 15+ years in live performance, curation, and artist advocacy. A trumpet player since age seven with a Jazz Studies BFA, he is a full-time artist who has toured and recorded with dozens of collaborators. His multidisciplinary practice bridging performance art, curation and social entrepreneurship has earned awards from 3Arts (2019) and the Walder Foundation (2024).

Sam Thousand is the founding Executive Director of ChiBrations, advancing artist-centered infrastructure through programming, storytelling, and the ChiBrations App. He serves as Co-Chair of the Arts Leadership Council at Arts Alliance Illinois and is a ’25–’26 fellow with Chicago United for Equity.

ChiBrations is an artist-led media platform centralizing artists across Chicagoland, bringing together creative performers and thought leaders who express through music, dance, comedy, theater, poetry, storytelling, puppetry and beyond. 

They exist to celebrate and document our vibrant scene while also reshaping systems that address real concerns like space scarcity, outdated policies, lack of funding and resources, and the devaluing of the artist’s craft in the midst of an evolving landscape.