Governor Ryan Announces Illinois Arts Council Grants

CHICAGO - Governor George H. Ryan announced today that the Illinois Arts Council (IAC) unanimously awarded 993 grants totaling over $13.7 million to individual artists and not-for-profit organizations doing public arts programming throughout the state of Illinois. The funds are derived from an annual appropriation from the Illinois General Assembly and supplemented with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

"Illinois' state arts agency does an excellent job supporting Illinois' diverse population with a wide cross-section of programming, offering the arts to people and communities in every region of the state," Governor Ryan said. "The grants listed here represent funding that allows Illinois artists and diverse organizations to provide countless arts opportunities for our residents and visitors to enjoy. We are fortunate that their hard work has made such an important contribution to the quality and accessibility of the arts in Illinois today."

IAC Chairman Shirley R. Madigan added that, "the Illinois Arts Council's commitment to bringing quality arts programming to all people in Illinois is possible because of the professionalism of the artists and organizations that we support. We can also thank the people who support the arts in their communities. By working together we are seeing the arts in our state become recognized as an important resource."

Funding provides general operating support or arts development assistance for not-for-profit organizations presenting arts programming in the areas of arts education, literature, media, ethnic and folk arts, and multidisciplinary, performing and visual arts. Grants that honor the work of individual artists are given as Fellowship and Merit awards. Other funded programs and projects include grants to local arts agencies, presenters and arts service organizations as well as arts-in-education artists' residencies and short-term artists' residencies.

"The grants listed here are indicative of the IAC's effort to support a wide variety of projects and programs which represent all manner of artists and art forms. We encourage all Illinoisans, both as participants and spectators, to in some way, every day, take advantage of the arts," said IAC Executive Director Rhoda Pierce.

The Illinois Arts Council is committed to the cultural, educational and economic growth of the diverse people and communities of our state through support and encouragement of artists and the arts.

For more information involving IAC grants, contact Karen Fincutter at (312) 814-3158.