Celebrating 60 Years

Follow the link to Governor JB Pritzker's official proclamation recognizing 2025 as the 60th anniversary of the Illinois Arts Council, an entity created to build a strong, creative, and connected Illinois through the arts. 

The IAC is excited to celebrate our accomplishments with YOU! We invite IAC grantees to participate in our social media campaign by sharing a short 30-second video testimonial demonstrating how the IAC has affected your arts programming or artistic practice. Please post your video directly to your personal or organization’s social media page. Please remember to tag the Illinois Arts Council and include the hashtags #IllinoisArtsCouncil, #IAC60, #IAC60Strong, and #IAC60andBeyond.

This campaign will continue throughout 2025. We hope that you will join us in celebrating the arts together!

See our recent announcement for details!

Western Illinois

From July 23 to July 25, the Illinois Arts Council (IAC) staff and board embarked on a tour through western Illinois, celebrating our 60th anniversary with vibrant cultural events and community engagement.

The journey began in Macomb with an art walk around the town square and visits to the Macomb Arts Center and the Western Illinois Museum. A community reception at the museum allowed for meaningful connections with local artists and residents. The group then explored WIU’s Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts, currently under construction, and the Macomb Park District Ceramics Studio before heading to the Quad Cities. The tour continued with visits to Fresh Films in Rock Island, The Black Box Theatre, Ballet Quad Cities’ future studio, currently under construction, and Quad City Arts for community engagement. The staff and board made their final stop at Mercado on 5th before returning to Chicago.

Said IAC council member Jodie Kavensky of Rock Island, "This visit was so vitally important and appreciated because it brought so many of our arts organizations and presenters together at the same time. It provided great value to those who received site visits by creating connections between the board, staff, and grantees. It underscored the importance of the arts in our rural community. Thank you for visiting the Illinois Quad Cities, and happy 60th anniversary, Illinois Arts Council!"

"It was such a pleasure to have the IAC here in McDonough County." Said Christina Steelman, an IAC council member from Bushnell. "The site visits and reception were wonderful ways for our area artists, organizations, and civic leaders to spend meaningful time with each other and with the staff. Of course, the IAC has always worked hard to get information and funding to the Macomb area, but it just hits differently when they take the time to be here: to meet people face-to-face on their own "home turf," to hear firsthand about the projects that excite us, and to really take the time to get to know this region and its resources." 

Chicago, American Indian Center Celebration at Schiller Woods

On June 21, the American Indian Center (AIC) hosted a vibrant Summer Solstice Celebration in collaboration with the Forest Preserves of Cook County. This event at Schiller Woods in Chicago was supported by the Illinois Arts Council (IAC) as part of its yearlong 60th anniversary celebrations, reaffirming the agency's commitment to promoting the arts across Illinois. Guests of all ages enjoyed storytelling, a powwow demonstration, corn husk doll making, and authentic Native cuisine. In addition to the AIC’s annual powwow in November, they will host a Pilsen powwow in partnership with the Chicago Park District at Harrison Park from 6 to 8:30 pm on July 24. These events are free and open to the public. 

Established in 1953, the American Indian Center has served as a vital resource for urban Natives, fostering connections to culture and heritage. As one of the oldest urban Native centers in the United States, it continues to honor the legacy of its founders by supporting Native communities throughout the Chicagoland area.

Southern Illinois

From April 30 to May 2, IAC staff and board members embarked on a tour through southern Illinois, celebrating our 60th anniversary with vibrant cultural events and community engagement.

The journey kicked off at the Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mt. Vernon, where the IAC engaged in meaningful discussions and explored galleries and sculpture parks. The journey continued through Harrisburg, Marion, and Carbondale, connecting with local artists, arts organizations, and educational institutions, including John A. Logan College and Southern Illinois University. Highlights included stops at Artsco, Little Egypt Arts Association, Marion Art Squared, Market Street Music Conservatory, and Artspace 304. The visit culminated with a tour of Wander Community Arts Studio in Du Quoin, a local favorite for young artists!

Springfield

Mark Turcotte's announcement as Illinois Poet Laureate was the highlight of a celebration recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Illinois Arts Council at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield. The April 29th event, also included the announcement of a newly formed Illinois Creative Caucus, a bipartisan convening of Illinois legislators who will identify, promote, and pass legislation and appropriations that strengthen our state’s creative economy. In attendance were Governor JB Pritzker and First Lady MK Pritzker, Mark Turcotte and outgoing Illinois Poet Laureate, Angela Jackson, as well as IAC board and staff and partners, including Illinois Humanities, The Poetry Foundation and Arts Alliance Illinois.   

Follow the link for photos from the event.

Central Illinois
From March 16-18, 2025, the Illinois Arts Council (IAC) staff and board embarked on a tour through central Illinois, celebrating our 60th anniversary with vibrant cultural events and community engagement. The journey kicked off in Springfield with a production of “Almost, Maine” with the UIS Our Stage/Our Voices series. This was followed by a Poetry Out Loud workshop with Illinois Poet Laureate Angela Jackson hosted by the Springfield Area Arts Council.

The IAC then attended the Poetry Out Loud state finals at the Hoogland Center for the Arts; the Springfield Art Association’s engaging 6 x 6 Art Show; and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum's "Freedom in Form" exhibition of Richard Hunt’s work.

On the final day, we visited Petersburg Public Library and engaged with grantees and local artists at the McLean County Arts Center, McLean County Historical Society, and artist Herb Eaton’s studio. The tour concluded in Pontiac at the Greater Livingston County Arts Council.

This tour highlights the incredible creativity and passion within our communities and affirms IAC's commitment to supporting the arts across Illinois. Similar tours across all regions of the state will continue throughout 2025 in celebration of IAC's 60th anniversary.