Chicago Ideas Week is the world’s largest ideas festival that’s open to a wide audience at just $15 per ticket. Think about that for a second: Global thought leaders, whose events are normally reserved for the elite at a price tag in the thousands, sharing big ideas in an environment where anyone from any background can experience them.

What can happen when a diverse audience hears a wide range of thought-provoking viewpoints? Anything.

From leaving day jobs to make their dream job a reality to making a connection that changes the way they see the world, Chicago Ideas audience members have turned ideas into action for positive social change countless times. And it’s all made possible by the support of our Members. Here are five reasons you should join:

Enter a One-of-a-Kind Community of Curiosity

Chicago Ideas is much, much more than a week-long festival—it’s a platform that engages and inspires an incredibly diverse audience throughout the year. By becoming a Member, you’ll have access to our series of Member-only events, which bring together some of the most influential thought and community leaders from both the city and the world. On top of that, Members also get early access to Chicago Ideas Week tickets. Considering how quickly the Talks, Conversations and Labs sell out for the week, having a leg up on ticket buying can ensure that you don’t get snubbed.

Memberships Are Cheap and Tax-Deductible

Membership options start at $45, so joining will by no means break the bank. The best part? We’re 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so the money that you spend on a membership is tax-deductible. Whether you join at the $45 “Curiosity” level or the $1,000 “Developer” level, your Membership will have a huge impact on our organization (and the world) without the financial implications that usually come with such.

Support Chicago Ideas’ YOU(th) Program

Our YOU(th) program provides more than 450 Chicago high school students the opportunity to network with working professionals, meet their peers from across the city and think beyond the stars. Through events, workshops and other special programs, Chicago Ideas is inspiring the next generation of Chicagoans on a level that’s unmatched by any other organization of its kind. Support for the program comes from Memberships, and by joining you’ll help Chicago’s youth have access to the resources that will help them become the world’s next biggest innovators and thought leaders.

Make a Tangible Difference in the World

Chicago Ideas is built around a single concept: When you put a diverse group of thinkers and community members in a room together, the possibilities are endless. Whether it’s curing cancer, solving climate change or building a business that transforms an entire region, our goal is to be the catalyst that turns ideas into world-changing action. By becoming a Member, you’re not only helping diverse audiences connect with some of the world’s most compelling thought leaders, you’re also helping us provide a platform that has a far-reaching effect. Whether it’s taking guns off of Chicago’s streets or teaching attendees how to inspire millions through public art, your Membership makes a direct, tangible difference in the world.

Help Keep Chicago Ideas Open to All

It’s not easy to bring more than 100 world-renowned speakers together for a week-long festival in the fall, much less keep our platform rolling throughout the year. One of Chicago Ideas’ key aspects is its accessibility, but we can’t do that alone. That’s where our Members come in. If you love our programming and want to see it grow, the best way to support it is by becoming a Member.

Click here for more information on becoming a Chicago Ideas Member.