Chicago’s production community is getting a major financial pitch later this month and the numbers are hard to ignore. AICP Midwest and the Illinois Production Alliance (IPA) are teaming up to present “The 40% Frontier” on May 27 at the Chicago Cultural Center, an event designed to educate agencies, brands, producers, and financial decision-makers about Illinois’ expanded production tax credit program.
The centerpiece is simple but significant: qualifying productions can now potentially access up to 40% in tax credit savings when shooting in Illinois.
That includes the state’s expanded 35% production tax credit signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker at the end of 2025, along with an additional 5% “green uplift” tied to environmentally sustainable productions. According to organizers, it marks the first incentive structure of its kind in the United States.
And Chicago’s advertising and production industries clearly want the broader business world paying attention.
Designed for CFOs, CMOs, procurement executives, producers, agency leaders, government relations teams, and brand marketers, the event will break down how the incentives actually work in practice, including monetizing credits, sustainability strategies, and real-world commercial production case studies.
“Chicago has long been one of the great production and advertising cities in the world, and this expanded incentive program positions our city to compete even more aggressively for commercial, television, and film production,” said Kenya K. Merritt, Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. “The addition of sustainability incentives demonstrates that Illinois is thinking about the future of production.”
The economic impact is already substantial. A 2024 study by the international consultancy Olsberg SPI found that more than 90% of productions filming in Illinois use the incentive program, which has generated more than $4.5 billion in economic activity between 2017 and 2024. The study also estimated a $6.81 return to the economy for every dollar of incentives issued.
For Chicago’s advertising community, the event also reflects a broader shift happening across production economics as brands look for ways to maximize increasingly pressured marketing budgets without sacrificing creative ambition.
“From an advertising standpoint, Chicago goes back to Tony the Tiger and the dawn of modern advertising,” noted Christine Dudley, Executive Director of the Illinois Production Alliance. “One of the things we consistently heard from brands and agencies was: stop talking to us only about money and talk to us about value. This incentive is ultimately a value proposition.”
That sentiment was echoed by Qadree Holmes, founder of Quriosity Productions and AICP Midwest/National Board Member. “We’re in a financial business now where creative art has to meet commerce,” Holmes shared. “This allows brands and agencies to strategize intelligently without sacrificing creative quality.”
Featured speakers include leaders from Constellation Brands, the Illinois Film Office, Chicago Film Office, Chicago Advertising Federation, IATSE Local 476, Essanay Studios, Tessa Films, Ecofixr, and more.
Because in today’s production climate, “shot in Chicago” increasingly isn’t just a creative decision.
It’s becoming a business strategy. Reserve your spot here.
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