University News

Illinois Arts Council Awards $64,000 to WIU and Area Programs

December 4, 2008

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MACOMB, IL - - The holidays came early for Western Illinois University arts programming, as well as for arts organizations in Henderson and Warren counties, with the presentation of grants from the Illinois Arts Council (IAC) Dec. 2 at WIU-Macomb.

Illinois Arts Council legislative liaison Karla Kunzeman from Springfield, Sen. John Sullivan (Rushville-D), Rep. Rich Myers (Colchester-R) and IAC Board member Bill Brattain presented more than $64,000 in grants to eight organizations.

Brattain, retired WIU associate vice president for student services, gave a brief welcome that highlighted the importance of the arts in the region. "Arts programming increases the quality of life in our region," Brattain said. "And the Illinois Arts Council has a lean staff, which means more money is used for grants. Also, organizations need to show their appreciation to Sen. Sullivan and Rep. Myers for all they do for the arts. They are in our corner; they understand what arts mean to our region."

Five units affiliated with Western Illinois University received a total of $37,900 in grants for units within the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC). They include the Bureau of Cultural Affairs Performing Arts Series ($22,180), WIUM/WIUW Celebration Concert Series ($6,030); COFAC's K-12 Outreach Programming ($5,570); the WIU Art Gallery ($2,500); and the Youth Performing Arts Series ($1,620).

The Macomb Community Theatre, which will celebrate its 50th season next year, received $1,030 for general operating support.

Monmouth's (Warren County) Buchanan Center for the Arts received a $5,010 grant for general operating support and a $6,900 grant for its Community Arts Access program.

The Two Rivers Arts Council (Raritan, Henderson County), which serves 13 counties in west-central Illinois, received $600 for operating support and $12,700 for its Community Art Access program.

These grants were part of the Illinois Arts Council first round of fiscal year 2009 grants for programming, which totaled 861 grants and more than $6,912,470.

Also recognized Dec. 2 as a second round grant recipient was Macomb's Al Sears Jazz Festival, represented by Bill Maakestad, a member of the organizing committee and a WIU management professor. Those grants will be awarded in spring.

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Photo ID (seated l-r): Denver Murphy (junior, recreation, park and tourism administration major from Marion, IL), Bureau of Cultural Affairs president; COFAC Dean Paul Kreider; Roy Roth and Peggy Roth, Macomb Community Theatre; Jim O'Toole, Two Rivers Arts Council; (standing middle): Susan Twomey, director, Buchanan Center for the Arts; Sharon Faust, WIUM/WIUW Public Radio; (standing back row l-r); Karla Kunzeman, IAC; John Meixner, president, Performing Arts Series (YPAS); Charles Wright, chair, WIU art department on behalf of John Graham, curator of WIU Art Gallery; Rep. Rich Myers; Sen. John Sullivan; Bill Brattain, IAC Board member; Bill Maakestad, Al Sears Jazz Festival; Mary Kubasak, Two Rivers Arts Council.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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