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In this issue
• IL250 Public Art Grant Unveiling
• IAC Creative Projects Grant Applications Now Available
• Illinois Performing Artist Index is Now Accepting Applicants
• University of Illinois, Springfield Artist in Residence Program
• In Observance of Independence Day the IAC will be Closed on July 3
• Featured Illinois Arts Organization
• Additional Opportunities
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IL250 Public Art Grant Unveiling
Robert Treece Mural in Olney, Illinois
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The Olney Arts Council (OAC) was pleased to announce the unveiling of its 250th Anniversary Commemorative Mural this past week. The unveiling was the first of 22 Illinois public art projects funded by the Illinois Arts Council in collaboration with the Office of the Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois Humanities. The mural, crafted by artist Robert Treece, celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on a local level (Olney is home to the white squirrel). Event festivities included choral and brass music on the Carnegie Library lawn, a World War II exhibit at the Carnegie Library, and remarks by Mayor Mark Lambird and Illinois Arts Council Board Member Michael Conn. Said Michael Conn, "The Illinois Arts Council worked with trusted nonprofit community partners across the state, including organizations like the Olney Arts Council, to help uplift this historic moment. Here in Olney, we are especially proud to be part of that effort and to help bring this commemorative artwork to our community."
Sheila Ritter, Executive Director of the Olney Arts Council, expressed gratitude for the support received: "We are deeply grateful for the support of the Illinois Arts Council, whose grant funding helped make this project possible. We also want to express our sincere appreciation to you, legislative representatives, and the Governor of Illinois for recognizing the importance of the arts and supporting opportunities that allow communities across our state to create, celebrate, and preserve meaningful cultural experiences."
Born in Olney, mural artist Robert Treece is a US Navy veteran and graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago. His paintings, murals, and installations have been in the Field Museum of Natural History, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Alabama Department of Archives, the St. Louis Science Center, and the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Robert has had gallery representation in St. Louis, Chicago, and New York. Dozens of his murals are in small towns throughout southern Illinois. Robert currently lives, works, and plays in rural Richland County, Illinois.
This initiative, part of the broader Illinois America 250 Commission effort, aims to celebrate Illinois' historical contributions and values. Visit the IAC's dedicated Illinois America 250 webpage for details on this and all other public art grant projects taking place throughout the year.
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The Illinois Arts Council (IAC) and the Illinois Presenters Network have launched the Illinois Performing Artist Index, a new statewide resource that showcases Illinois performing artists and makes it easier for presenters, venues, and event organizers to discover local talent. The Illinois Artist Index will replace the previous Artstour Roster.
The newly revamped Illinois Performing Artist Index website is now live. Illinois performing artists are encouraged to register on the site. Registration is free and only takes about ten minutes. Illinois presenters are also invited to visit the current artist pages, which may serve as a helpful guide in planning your upcoming 2026-2027 season.
If you have any questions about the Performing Artist Index, please reach out to the Illinois Presenters Network directly at [email protected]. Direct all IAC-related questions to your Regional Program Director.
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The University of Illinois, Springfield (UIS), invites artists across all disciplines to apply for the Artist-in-Residence Program at the Therkildsen Field Station (TFSE). Located at the Emiquon Preserve, the TFSE connects researchers, students, and creatives with the area's diverse wildlife and habitats. The floodplain restoration at Emiquon offers artists a unique opportunity to draw inspiration from its natural beauty, while TFSE provides necessary support with laboratory and classroom space, equipment, and housing. The program encourages a creative dialogue between scientific exploration and artistic expression, aiming to establish a community of artists who create works inspired by the preserve. Successful applicants will receive up to a four-week residency, with project dates starting after September 1, 2026. Funding is available through Spring 2027, courtesy of the UIS Visionary Giving Circle. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information or assistance, please contact [email protected].
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Featured Illinois Arts Organization
Arts of Life - FY26 IAC General Operating Support
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Marvin Young at EXPO Chicago - photo courtesy of Arts of Life
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Arts of Life advances the creative arts community by providing artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities a collective space to expand their practice and strengthen their leadership. The organization is driven by four core values: inspiring artistic expression, building community, promoting self-respect, and developing independence.
Arts of Life artists work at studio locations in Chicago's West Town and South Side neighborhoods and Glenview, with a fourth studio in Highland Park coming this fall. The studios offer a robust range of supports and services, including facilitation from professional fine art staff, career management, photo documentation and archival storage, high-quality art materials, and access to project-based or career-focused groups.
Additionally, Arts of Life advocates for the exhibition and sale of artists of all abilities through its Circle Contemporary Gallery. They are proud to have showcased the work of 107 Illinois-based artists in 2026 alone. These exhibitions are augmented by external opportunities in prestigious venues, including the Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago Design Museum, EXPO Chicago, The Outsider Art Fair in NYC, NADA and Untitled Art Fairs in Miami, Art Fair Tokyo, and Art Collaboration Kyoto.
Executive Director Denise Fisher shared, "Arts of Life's programming would not be possible without the ongoing support of the Illinois Arts Council. We are proud to nurture the creative practices of emerging artists and offer robust professional career support for experienced artists. Marvin Young exemplifies what is possible at Arts of Life. After a lifetime of making intensely observant drawings of the world around him, his work has finally gotten the spotlight it deserves at Circle Contemporary, Western Exhibitions, EXPO Chicago, and now Intuit Art Museum."
Impressions of a City: Drawings by Marvin Young is open to the public at Intuit Art Museum through August 23.
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Other Opportunities You May Have Missed
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Chicago/DCASE - Next Stage Chicago, Investing up to $400,000 to Emerging Theater Organizations - Application Deadline: July 8
The Museum of Art - DeLand - National Juried Art Exhibition - FORM + SPACE 2026 Applications now Available - Deadline: July 12
City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture/Latino Cultural Center Now Accepting Exhibition Proposals from Artists & Curators - Deadline: July 15
Oh Art Foundation Open Call for the Latinx Festival of the Arts 2026, "City of Many Arrivals: Latine Brilliance," - Deadline: July 19
Water Street Studios - Submissions Open for "Home" Exhibit - Deadline: July 19
Chicago Art Book Fair - Call for Arts Publishers, Independent Book Presses, Comic Artists, Zinemakers, & Printmakers - Deadline: July 23
OH Art Foundation - Open Call - Cartographies of Belonging Mapping Roots, Identity, and Healing - Curated by Sergio Gomez - Deadline: July 31
Agitator Artist Collective Gallery - Call for Agitator Artist in Residence - Deadline: August 1
The Terra Foundation - Collections Grants Encourage Organizations Worldwide to Reinterpret and Re-Present their Permanent Collections - Deadline: August 3
NEIU Art & Design Department now Accepting Applications for their RISO Residency Program - Deadline: August 9
Independent Curators International Applications Now Open for 2026 Chicago Curatorial Seminar - Opportunity for Chicago Area BIPOC Curators - Deadline: August 9
McHenry Riverwalk Chalkwalk Festival and Competition - Opportunity for Chalk Artists - Registration Deadline: August 15
Literary Arts Fund - Applications Now Open for 2026 Project Grants for Nonprofits - Deadline: August 17
Azadi Folk School/Pilsen Arts & Community House - Opportunity for Artists and Artisans with Cultural Traditions - Deadline: August 31
The Terra Foundation - Convening Grants support Conversations, Symposia, and Workshops that Stimulate Interdisciplinary and Intercultural Exchange - Deadline: September 28
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The Muse, the Illinois Arts Council newsletter, is published weekly. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the IAC is strictly prohibited. The Muse is distributed free of charge.
Do you have an arts story you think Illinois needs to hear about? We want to hear from you! Submissions should focus on artist/organizational opportunities or on the impact of the arts on communities, the people creating art, or those experiencing art. Share your story with our Director of Communications at [email protected]. The IAC reserves the right to edit or reject any material.
arts.illinois.gov
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