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."

This week's featured artist is Travis Janssen of Makanda, Illinois. Janssen's creative practice employs the mediums of printmaking, video, and installation, often exploring themes of perception, technology, and materiality. His work frequently incorporates optical effects, repetition, and layering, drawing connections between traditional printmaking techniques and contemporary digital media. Janssen received an MFA degree in printmaking from Arizona State University and a BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His art has been displayed in various solo and group exhibitions both in the U.S. and abroad, gaining attention in such publications as Art in Print and Graphic Impressions. Janssen is currently an associate professor and head of printmaking in the School of Art and Design at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where he has taught since 2008.

Janssen has been busy showcasing his work with a recent solo exhibition at MAP Gallery 3840 in St. Louis, featuring a series of cyanotype prints and animations. His work has also appeared in several recent juried exhibitions, including those at the Anderson Gallery in Des Moines, the Daum Museum in Sedalia, Missouri, and the Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati. Janssen is now preparing to participate in the upcoming 80th Bradley International Print & Drawing Competition in Peoria, Illinois, scheduled for February 5 through March 19, 2027.

Janssen shares, "The Creative Accelerator Fund (CAF) grant has been a huge help for my work this past year. It allowed me to sustain my practice and take on opportunities that needed a significant amount of investment. The funds will continue to benefit my exhibition efforts long after the grant period ends."