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Celebrating 60 Years
SMU DataArts Names Illinois Sixth Most Vibrant Arts State
Arts Impact in Illinois
$37.39B
of our state's gross domestic product was contributed by arts and culture in 2023 - Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Dept of Commerce
226,407
Illinois jobs were in arts and culture (2023)
- Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce
22
grants totaling $862,855 were directed to Illinois school districts in developing arts and foreign language curricula in partnership with the Illinois State Board of Education (FY2024)
$478M
in revenues to state and local government were delivered by Illinois arts nonprofits in 2024 - Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6)
29
local arts councils partnered with IAC through its Local Arts Network to support statewide arts programming (FY2024)
100%
of all legislative districts throughout Illinois receive free access to local and regional news, public affairs and arts programming through IAC support for Illinois Public Radio and Television (FY2025)
Featured Illinois Arts Organization
Chicago Cultural Alliance, FY26 General Operating Support Recipient
This week, the IAC is proud to feature the Chicago Cultural Alliance (CCA), a dynamic consortium dedicated to connecting, promoting, and supporting centers of cultural heritage across the Chicago region. With a mission to foster a more inclusive Chicago, the CCA brings together a network of 50 cultural heritage museums, centers, and historical societies spanning 23 neighborhoods and 11 suburbs, representing over 30 diverse cultures. Their vision is to create a city where every community has a voice, and cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration are integral to the civic fabric. Through their work, CCA strives to amplify the diverse narratives of Chicago, ensuring that all communities are represented and heard.
The upcoming Activating Heritage Conference demonstrates CCA's commitment to professional development for cultural heritage and nonprofit professionals. Scheduled for March 10, 2026, on the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) campus, this fully in-person event promises a day of enriching experiences. The conference will feature a keynote address, complimentary meals, networking opportunities, and a comprehensive schedule of panels, workshops, and discussions. It's designed to serve cultural heritage professionals, arts and culture workers, students, and historians across the Chicago region. CCA has opened a call for proposals encouraging submissions from its members to help shape the conference on topics that address overcoming future challenges.
Says Mónica Félix, Ph.D., CCA's Executive Director, "It's amazing to see the power this conference has had in creating new friendships, inspiring new exhibits, and generating new collaborations over the years. We've seen numerous cultural centers launch their own oral history projects for the first time after attending this conference and hearing about work their colleagues have done. I've seen cultural groups attend the panel on "grants for cultural heritage centers," connect with funders, and eventually receive an award for the first time the following year. The conference is so much more than sharing knowledge and gaining inspiration for new initiatives. It is about creating a space for cultural heritage workers and museum professionals to find friendship and support."
Illinois Artist Spotlight
Jay Alan Yim, a distinguished composer and academic, has profoundly impacted the world of contemporary music. With a rich educational background that includes studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, the Royal College of Music/University of London, and Harvard, Yim has built a formidable career. He has been a faculty member at Northwestern University since 1988, contributing significantly as the Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Composition and Music Technology Program. His compositions have been performed by many prestigious ensembles and orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Jay's innovative work often blends traditional acoustic elements with electronic soundscapes, engaging audiences across the globe with themes centered on climate change and ecological awareness.
With the Creative Accelerator Grant from the Illinois Arts Council, Jay plans to embark on an ambitious multi-CD recording project. This project will showcase a recent series of his electronic works that explore his experimental approach to sampling, known as Tyme Sefari Field Recordings. The grant will serve as a catalyst, enabling Jay to bring these unique compositions to a broader audience, furthering his exploration of sound and pushing the boundaries of contemporary music. Through this recording initiative, Jay aims to enhance the understanding and appreciation of electronic music, with a focus on innovation and conceptual depth.
A large part of Jay's practice is work in partnership with visual artist Marlena Novak. One of those collaborations is currently on exhibit to the public as part of the School of the Art Institute's (SAIC) Faculty Sabbatical Triennial. Says Jay, "The project we made with a team of Marlena's former students is an art game that I co-produced with her and for which I created the electronic score and sound design. In “Dreaming The Prairie,” the player gets to explore a digital recreation of an 8000-year-old prairie in Illinois from the perspective of a rusty patched bumblebee, which is a species on the federal endangered species list. Players can fly around the prairie, searching for rare and threatened plants to pollinate, experiencing the magical realism of individual plants dancing and glowing to entice them." This exhibit is open now through December 6 at the SAIC Galleries, 33 E Washington St in Chicago.
Photo credit: Marlena Novak
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