Welcome to the Springfield Area Arts Council

The Springfield Area Arts Council…Enriching the community by promoting and supporting all art forms and providing creative opportunities to participate in and enjoy the arts. Welcome to the website of the Springfield Area Arts Council. Since 1976 the Arts Council has been dedicated to developing and sustaining arts and culture initiatives in Springfield and surrounding communities. More than 60% of all income generated by the Arts Council returns to the community in quality events for your family, performance and exhibition opportunities for artists, services and resources for area arts organizations, performing artists in our schools, and arts programming funding for social service agencies.

This website was developed with funding from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency 

Check out First Night Springfield on its own page and other activities on the Calendar and Events page.

Adult Prom 2013 "An Evening in Paris"

The Board and Staff of the Springfield Area Arts Council thanks all who attended this fundraising event.  We especially thank the six couples who were part of the Prom Court which raised over $3000 for the Council.  Ronda and Tom Brinkman were crowned Queen and King for their extraordinary efforts.  They were responsible for over half the donations.  Our thanks also goes to those who donated in the names of our court couples.  We are going to plan another Adult Prom for 2014, visiting another exciting city after spending 2013 in Paris.

MAYOR'S AWARDS FOR THE ARTS ANNOUNCED 

Recipients of the19th Mayor's Awards for the Arts were announced at a ceremony held at the Hoogland Center for the Arts on Thursday evening, October 11, 2012.  Sponsored by the Springfield Area Arts Council and Mayor J. Michael Houston, the Mayor’s Awards for the Arts recognize outstanding commitment and dedication to the arts in Sangamon and Menard counties.    The award for each recipient was a limited edition ceramic piece, “Bluelip Vase,” by local artist Bob Dixon.

The Award recipients for 2012 were:

SPECIAL RECOGNITION:  Hazen and Roland Folse 

INDIVIDUAL ARTIST:  John Knoepfle   

ARTS VOLUNTEER:   George King

ARTS ORGANIZATION:  Illinois Central Blues Club

BUSINESS or CORPORATION committed to the arts:  UMedia – David Cain, owner

For further information on the award recipients, CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD the Mayor’s Awards for the Arts Recipient Program.

Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest 

2013 Regional Poetry Out Loud Winners: Anna Kefalas (Runner-up), Stephen Young of The Poetry Foundation, Charday Crawford (Winner)

Poetry Out Loud is a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. Regional and State competitions, presented in partnership with the Illinois Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation, are hosted by the Springfield Area Arts Council. For more information, click on Poetry Out Loud in the top banner.

Arts Grants Awarded to Organizations and Artists

The Community Arts Access Program is conducted in cooperation with the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Grants from this program are awarded to area not-for-profit organizations which bring arts programming to the citizens of Sangamon and Menard counties.   For 2012-2013, Community Arts Access Grants, totaling $7945, were awarded to: Benedictine University; Downtown Springfield, Inc.; Illiopolis Elementary School; Illinois Central Blues Club; Illinois State Museum Society; Illinois Symphony Orchestra; Menard County Singers; Pleasant Plains Historical Society; Scholastic Art Awards; Senior Services of Central Illinois; Springfield African-American History Foundation; Springfield Urban League; Theatre in the Park; YMCA of Springfield.  This program is funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, and additional funds from the Springfield Area Arts Council. Grant applications will be available June 12 with a deadline for submission on July 26, 2013.

City Arts Grants are given to social service agencies that provide arts programming for underserved populations (i.e. people with disabilities, senior citizens, ethnic minorities, etc.). The City Arts Grant program also provides subsidies to area arts organizations for rehearsal, performance or exhibit space.  Funding for these grants is provided by the City of Springfield. City Arts Grants, totaling $6475, were awarded to: Senior Services of Central Illinois; Prairie Art Alliance; Prairie Grapevine Folklore Society; Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony; Sound Celebration Chorus; Springfield Guitar Society; Springfield International Folk Dancers. Grant applications will be available June 19 with a deadline for submission on July 31, 2013.

The Rosie Richmond Artist Advancement Award provides financial assistance to committed artists for specific projects which will enable them to advance their work and careers. In 2012, musical and literary artists were eligible. Alisa Harris, vocalist, received this award. Grant applications will be available June 12 with a deadline for submission on July 26, 2013.  Grant applications for 2013 will be in the following arts disciplines: Dance/Choreography, Visual Arts, Performance/Interdisciplinary Arts.