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

Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest

The Illinois State Contest is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition.    The state competition, presented in partnership with the Illinois Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation is hosted by the Springfield Area Arts Council on Thursday, March 29, 2012 at 1 PM in the Hoogland Center for the Arts.  Sixteen students from eight regional contests throughout Illinois will recite their selected poems as they vie for the title of Illinois State Champion and the opportunity to go to the national contest in Washington, D.C. in mid-May.  For further information, click on Poetry Out Loud on the top banner or call 217-753-3519.

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.