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

GINGERBREAD HOUSE DISPLAY AND RAFFLE

Thirteen one-of-a-kind Gingerbread Houses will be on display at downtown businesses through December 21.  Presented by the Arts Council, in conjunction with the DSI Holiday Walks, these houses are part of a raffle to raise funds for Arts-in-Education and other programs of the Arts Council.
   
Lib Granzeau, former President of the Arts Council Board of Directors, along with Cindy Milner and Karen Richardson, designed and executed the thirteen houses which are made entirely of edible ingredients.  Raffle tickets are $5 each and may be purchased and deposited at the business location where the “house of choice” is on display or at the Hoogland Center for the Arts where tickets may be deposited for any of the houses.  The drawings for winners of the thirteen houses will be held on Thursday, December 22.

Gingerbread Houses are located at the following downtown businesses:  Abe’s Old Hat Antiques and Country Store, Andiamo!, Augie’s Front Burner, Café Brio, Flea Market to Fabulous, Golden Frog Café,  Hoogland Center for the Arts, Maldaner’s, Moxie Massage, National Museum of Surveying, Petals & Accents, Recycled Records, Spice of Life.

Penny Wollan-Kriel, Executive Director of the Arts Council, says, “These Gingerbread Houses are so delightful, fun and unique that they make your heart soar with holiday joy!  With the majority of the proceeds going for the Arts-in-Education program which places performing and visual artists in the schools, the raffle is a win-win event.  Our thanks go to the makers of the houses (Lib, Cindy and Karen) and to the downtown businesses in which the houses are displayed for their participation and support of what we hope will become an annual event.”

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

Arts Grants Awarded to Organizations and Artists

City Arts Grants were awarded to the following organizations for 2011 – 2012: Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Illinois,  Senior Services of Central Illinois,  Springfield Urban League,  Illinois Prairie Pastel Society,  Prairie Grapevine Folklore Society,  Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony,  Sound Celebration Chorus,  Springfield International Folkdancers. Visual artists Allison Lacher, Felicia Olin, Rosalinda Post-Lucas and performance artist Letrice Ware received Rosie Richmond Artist Advancement Awards. 

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.

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 2011, visual, dance/choreography and performance/interdisciplinary artists could apply; in 2012, musical and literary artists may submit applications.

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.  The following organizations received grants for 2011 – 2012:  Theatre in the Park,  Springfield Ballet Company,  Springfield Art Association,  Senior Services of Central Illinois,  Scholastic Arts Awards,  Menard County Singers,  Illinois Symphony Orchestra,  Illinois State Museum Society,  Illinois Central Blues Club, Downtown Springfield, Inc.