Supporting Illinois' Arts Sector

Since opening in 1976 as Park Forest’s cultural arts center, Freedom Hall and the Nathan Manilow Theatre has served as a local gathering place for concerts, theater, community events, and educational programming. Freedom Hall serves Park Forest residents while welcoming a diverse, multigenerational audience from across the Chicago Southland and Northwest Indiana, providing accessible arts and cultural experiences for families, students, seniors, artists, and community organizations. The Youth & Family Series, a key initiative, focuses on providing affordable and accessible live performance experiences to students and families. This series aims to reflect the diverse backgrounds of the young audience it serves, fostering creativity and a lasting appreciation for the arts.

In September, the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra's (IPO) string quartet performed an all-ages-free themed chamber music program inspired by Bridgerton, featuring pop hits in lush string arrangements. In November, Ballet 5:8 will present Beyond the Nutcracker, an educational program that introduces students to the history of the beloved ballet and features excerpts from the production. Looking ahead to 2027, the Youth & Family Series will present 1619: The Journey of a People in February, a multidisciplinary performance combining song, spoken word, and dance to explore African American history and bring its stories to life, and Mrs. Dipsworth in April, an interactive show filled with music and storytelling that encourages creativity and positive choices among young audiences.

Shelley Strasser, Cultural Arts Specialist at Freedom Hall, emphasizes the significance of the Illinois Arts Council's support, stating, "We would not have been able to achieve this growth in the Youth & Family Series without the support of the IAC. Over the past three years, the IAC’s generous grant funding has enabled us to expand from offering just one performance annually to presenting four to six performances each season. This support has been instrumental in increasing access to live performance for students and families in our community, allowing us to reach more young people, introduce them to a wider variety of artistic experiences, and foster a lifelong appreciation for the arts."

Nestled within the western gateway of the Shawnee National Forest, lives artist Mel Watkin. Her work has been showcased nationally, with solo exhibitions at the Franklin Furnace Archives in New York and the Hyde Park Art Center in Chicago, among others. Watkin holds a BA from Bennington College and an MFA from the University of Montana. Her art often focuses on environmental themes, and she has been recognized with numerous grants and residencies, including a recent Franklin Furnace/Xeno Prize and an FY22 Illinois Arts Council Artist Fellowship.

Mel received an FY26 CPG grant for her newly released Notebook of Notes, which consists of 66 individual drawings and texts spread across 143 pages, focusing on environmental issues through sketches and quotes from various media. She is working on a new series titled Beauty is a Beast, which explores the impact of invasive plant species accelerated by climate change. These drawings are completed on handmade paper pulped from old bank statements, demonstrating her commitment to reusing materials with historical significance. Watkin is also participating in the Not Just Another Pretty Face triennial exhibition at the Hyde Park Art Center, which opens on December 11. Her drawings, influenced by the Shawnee National Forest, are also currently on display at the Alto Pass Vineyard through December 30.

Reflecting on the support provided by the Illinois Arts Council, Mel shares, “The importance of IAC support for artists and arts organizations can't be underestimated, especially in my rural area. I live 5 1/2 hours south of Chicago—almost in Kentucky—surrounded by the Shawnee National Forest. Notebook of Notes, a major artist’s book, years in the making, would never have happened without IAC funding."