Supporting Illinois' Arts Sector

The McLean County Museum of History is an independent nonprofit and nationally accredited museum in the heart of Downtown Bloomington, which actively harnesses the power of the arts to present interdisciplinary programming and exhibits highlighting the diverse stories of the people of Illinois’ largest county. Approximately 40,000 people visit the museum and its Cruisin’ with 66 Visitors Center & Gift Shop each year. In the last calendar year alone, the museum presented 72 in-person events and 225 outreach programs—almost all free to participants.

“Support from the IAC’s Operating Grant empowers us to bring innovative, hands-on arts programming to our community, whether it’s one of our ‘Day Off, Art On’ institute day programs for students in grades 5–8 or one of the many concerts we host each year,” says Executive Director Julie Emig.

The museum's commitment to integrating art into public life was supported by a 2024 IAC Catalyst Grant, which helped launch Sculpture on the Square. This initiative features rotating public art on the grounds of the museum's historic 1903 courthouse building. The current installation — a llama created by local farmer-turned-artist Robert Cumpston from recycled farm implements — connects art to agriculture, creativity to place, and contemporary expression to the community’s history.

The same experience can be found inside the museum, where its newest exhibition, More Than a Game: A Community History of Baseball & Softball presented by Beer Nuts Brand Snacks & The Shirk Family, features local stories of the game to explore social upheaval and resilience throughout American history. “That is the museum's greatest community impact,” says Emig. “It doesn’t simply preserve the past; it uses the past as a starting point for creativity, conversation, learning, and connection. And through the support of the Illinois Arts Council, more people across McLean County can experience what happens when history and the arts come together." 

Allison Walsh (she/they) is an independent documentary filmmaker, fine artist, and founder of the Big Picture Peoria Film Festival, dedicated to fostering community connections in the Midwest. Walsh has been a cinematographer and field producer for documentaries on ESPN+, Discovery+, Magnolia Network, and independent films, including Time Warp, which premiered this year at Tribeca. Walsh’s first feature documentary, All of the Above, premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and is currently screening on the festival circuit. It received the Emerging Documentary Award at the Milwaukee Film Festival and has been featured on Deadline. The project is produced in association with Kartemquin Films.

Speaking about the impact of IAC support, Walsh shares, "The Accelerator grant was a game-changer for me, both creatively and professionally. It let me dedicate myself to the film without needing to pick up extra work to cover budget gaps. This freedom gave me the time, clarity, and creative space I needed to complete the project to the best of my ability. This grant affirmed my work, strengthened my professional foundation, and allowed me to complete my first feature documentary with the quality and care it deserved. The impact of the CAF grant has been lasting and profound.”