Supporting Illinois' Arts Sector

The Illinois Symphony Orchestra (ISO), under the inspiring leadership of Music Director Taichi Fukumura, is the premier professional orchestra of central Illinois—bringing world-class music to life for more than 40,000 patrons across Bloomington-Normal, Springfield, and surrounding communities. With exciting symphony, Pops, and chamber performances; engaging Concerts for Kids; and intimate and immersive chamber experiences including Sips & Sounds, Around the Town, and Beyond the Stage series, the ISO is redefining what a regional orchestra can be.

The ISO’s reach goes far beyond the concert hall. Through transformative education programs like Itsy Arts and Music Matters, the orchestra sparks creativity in pre-K and elementary classrooms, while guest artist residencies and ensemble visits connect with middle schools, high schools, universities, and senior centers—building lifelong relationships with music.

In 2020, the ISO expanded its mission by acquiring the Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony, now the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestras (ISYO), serving over three hundred young musicians through five progressive ensembles. With strong partnerships through its' PEACE (Partnership in Education and Community Engagement) with UIS-Music and Illinois State University, the ISO is cultivating the next generation of artists, educators, and arts advocates.

"Support from the Illinois Arts Council allows us to deepen our impact—on stage, in classrooms, and across our communities,” said Trevor Orthmann, Executive Director. “It helps us ensure that music remains accessible, relevant, and inspiring for everyone we serve as we fulfill our mission of creating engaging musical experiences for all.”

Allison Lacher is a visual artist, curator, and arts administrator based in Springfield, Illinois. Her artistic practice focuses on installation, sculpture, and collaborative projects that often emerge in response to the physical, social, and historical conditions of a site. Lacher’s work has been exhibited nationally, including at venues such as the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art and the Illinois State Museum. Beyond her individual work, she has collaborated with artist Jeff Robinson and engaged in numerous curatorial projects. Lacher holds an MFA from Indiana University and has been recognized with multiple Illinois Arts Council Artist Fellowship Awards.

Currently, Allison Lacher is co-curating "Phantom Frame" at NON STNDRD in Sauget, Illinois, alongside Jeff Robinson. This exhibition showcases a diverse group of artists, including Alberto Aguilar, Conrad Bakker, Sarah and Joseph Belknap, Danny Bracken, Juan William Chávez, Robert Chase Heishman, and Marina Peng. "Phantom Frame" explores the ways fragments persist and take on new meanings over time. The artists draw from architectural remnants, industrial histories, and material traces to consider the potential of partial forms and incomplete narratives. The works engage the unique context of the National Building Arts Center and the industrial landscape of Sauget.

Said Allison Lacher, "Phantom Frame would not have been possible without support from the Illinois Arts Council's Creative Projects Grant. That support allowed us to bring together an extraordinary group of artists who created ambitious, site-responsive work that engages the unique conditions and histories of the National Building Arts Center. It has been a joy to support artists and to realize a project of this scale and complexity." The exhibition is open to the public at NON STNDRD and has been extended through July 18.