Issue 28 / November 1, 2024

In this issue:

• Illinois Arts Council Folk Arts Mentorship Program Now Available

• FY25 General Operating Support Award Notifications

• IAC Creative Catalyst Grant Update

• IAC Creative Accelerator Fund Drop-In Sessions

• NASAA Assembly 2024

• IAC Congratulates Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra on Debut Recording

• LEAD 2025 Call for Proposals is Open

• Applications Now Open for the NEA Big Read

• Celebrating IAC's FY24 Folk Arts Mentorship Recipients

• Illinois Artist Spotlight • Additional Opportunities

Illinois Arts Council Folk Arts Mentorship Program Now Available

The Illinois Arts Council (IAC) is pleased to announce the release of the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Folk Arts Mentorship (FAM) grant. Funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, FAM supports the mentoring relationship that develops between exemplary practitioners working with dedicated apprentices in ethnic, folk, and traditional arts.

The FAM grant replaces a previous IAC grant known as the Master Apprenticeship Program grant. FAM allows for concentrated study and cultural transmission to preserve traditional practices important to the artists’ community, heritage, and identity. As part of IAC’s Bold New Changes, the application has been simplified and is now a $4,000 taxable grant to the Mentor artist and a $1,000 taxable grant to the Apprentice artist.

Mentor and Apprentice artists must each submit their own applications. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, December 18, 2024.

A pre-recorded webinar with transcripts and information on scheduled "Drop-In" sessions are available on IAC’s FAM landing page.

FY25 General Operating Support Award Letter Notifications

FY25 General Operating Support (GOS) Award letters were sent via email on October 21, 2024. Details including information on how to claim your grant were sent from the IAC/Formstack address: no-reply@webmerge.me.

The deadline to submit your signed GOS grant documents has been extended to November 10, 2024.

GOS applicants who have not yet received their notification are encouraged to check their spam folder first. If the notification is still missing, please reach out to Grants Office Specialists Shaun Banks (shaun.d.banks@illinois.gov) or Lilian Madu (lilian.c.madu@illinois.gov), and be sure to copy Pius Zacharias, IAC's Director of Grants Management, at pius.zacharias@illinois.gov.

IAC Creative Catalyst Grant Update

Creative Catalyst Grant funds have been fully expended in all IAC state regions. As of 11/1/24 applications will no longer be accepted for Creative Catalyst. IAC anticipates this program will open again in July 2025.

IAC Creative Accelerator Fund Drop-In Sessions

The Illinois Arts Council’s (IAC) Creative Accelerator Fund (CAF) provides crucial support to artists with a goal of strengthening the creative workforce that composes a significant portion of Illinois’ economic activity. This is a $10,000 taxable award. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, November 20, 2024.

Artists are encouraged to join IAC Program Staff in the remaining drop-in sessions listed below. Drop-in sessions are one-hour sessions that have no agenda. Participants may ask questions of participating Program Staff and get answers in real time. Pre-registration is not required. Follow the link at the time of the meeting or visit the IAC's Workshops and Webinars page for links to all available sessions..

Monday, November 4th at noon

Wednesday, November 13th at 6:00pm

A Creative Accelerator Fund recorded webinar with transcripts is also available. In this webinar, IAC staff discuss application tips and best practices including how to use the agency’s online Salesforce grant platform.

IAC Executive Director, Joshua Davis-Ruperto

The National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to strengthening the nation’s 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies. Hosted by the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture, NASAA Assembly 2024 (October 23-26) offered a full array of topical sessions and job-alike meetings designed with state arts agencies in mind.

Representatives from state arts councils across the country engaged in a variety of sessions at the conference. IAC Executive Director, Joshua Davis-Ruperto, led a discussion on re-branding. Other sessions covered key topics relevant to state arts agencies such as creative economic development, cross-sector partnerships, emergency management and resiliency, reaching underserved communities, communicating impact, and more.

Joshua Davis-Ruperto, shared, "The NASAA conference provides an invaluable

chance to connect with peers, build professional relationships, and exchange knowledge. Puerto Rico also offered a unique glimpse into San Juan’s vibrant cultural scene, further illustrating how the arts can foster community and fuel the creative economy."

IAC Congratulates Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra on Debut Recording

Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) Music Director, Stilian Kirov, IAC Director of Communications, George Tarasuk, IPO Executive Director, Christina Salerno and Cedille Records' Executive Director, James Ginsburg - photo credit, Ken Churilla, IPO

The IAC congratulates the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra’s (IPO) commercial recording debut of "Children’s Stories", a collaborative project with Chicago based, Cedille Records.

Children’s Stories features world premieres of works based on beloved children’s literature by famed classical composers Michael Abels (Frederick’s Fables for narrator and orchestra) and IAC Fellowship recipient, Augusta Read Thomas (Gwendolyn Brooks Settings for children’s choir and orchestra). Both pieces bring children’s literary narratives to life through music. Under the baton of its music director, Stilian Kirov, the IPO is joined by acclaimed bass-baritone Michael Sumuel, narrating Frederick’s Fables, and youth choirs Anima – Glen Ellyn Children’s Chorus and ChiArts Choir in Gwendolyn Brooks Settings. 

The IPO celebrated the release on October 17th at the Tall Grass Arts Association in Park Forest, Illinois.

LEAD 2025 Call for Proposals is Open

The Kennedy Center's Office of Accessibility is seeking proposals for sessions during the 2025 LEAD (Leadership Exchange in Arts & Disability) Conference. The LEAD Conference is scheduled for August 20-22, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. This is your opportunity to:

• provide practical, hands-on training in a skill building session; 
• design a think tank on a topic you'd like to delve into with others in the field;
• share knowledge, experience, and multiple perspectives through a panel presentation; or
• give a quick snapshot of your work through a lightning talk!

The deadline to submit a proposal is December 2 at 11:59 PM Eastern.

Applications Now Open for the NEA Big Read

Applications are open for the NEA Big Read, a national program that offers matching grants of up to $20,000 to support community-wide reading programs. This year's theme is: “Our Nature: How Our Physical Environment Can Lead Us to Seek Hope, Courage, and Connection.” The 22 books that applicants can choose to program all explore our relationship with the physical environment.  

Celebrating IAC's FY24 Folk Arts Mentorship Recipients

Mentor, Walter L. 'Bud' Harvey

Walter “Bud” Harvey, began learning blacksmithing skills in 1997 from Uri Hofi, a master blacksmith from Israel and Tom Clark, owner of the Ozark School of Blacksmithing in Petosi, Missouri. Bud studied with Hofi, Tom and other masters over 5 years at the Ozark School and later with other masters, including Mark Aspery in 2008 at Penland School in NC. Bud’s formal education includes BS Mechanical Engineering, BS Materials Science and 37 professional years in industry. For 25 years before studying blacksmithing, Bud served as a leader in the Boy Scouts of America and received the Silver Beaver Award in 1993, authorized by President Bill Clinton. Bud began sharing his blacksmithing skills with college engineering students in 2002. He conducts 50 blacksmithing classes annually and has taught over 750 students of all ages. His classes include basic and advanced levels as defined by the Arts Blacksmiths Association of North America, (ABANA). Bud is a certified Level III Instructor, the highest recognized instructor level.

Apprentice, George McKenna

George started blacksmithing after completing a doctoral program in 2017. After completing three graduate programs and earning a doctorate, he felt it was time to do “something” with his hands. Blacksmithing has always been an interest since watching them work in western and fantasy movies. He was hooked after his first swing of the hammer. In addition to working towards the national blacksmithing certification, George is learning how to make custom hand-forged knives. At some point in the future, he hopes to run his own blacksmith and bladesmith shop. When not working or blacksmithing, George is a martial artist focusing on fitness, Muay Thai Kickboxing, Kali (knife and stick fighting), and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.