What are the opening hours?

Monday 8:30am - 5pm Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm Thursday 8:30am - 5pm Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Illinois Arts Council, 115 S. LaSalle Street , Ste. 2202, Chicago, IL (2026)

10/16/2026

Congratulations to IAC Board Member, Pemon Rami, for his Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Chicago Black Theatre Alliance Awards, honoring his extraordinary career and his enduring contributions to Chicago theatre.

The awards take place on Monday, October 26, 2026, 6-9PM at the Beverly Arts Center - 2407 W 111 Street, Chicago, IL 60655

Please help us congratulate Pemon on his incredible career!

For more information and how to attend, follow the link: https://btaachicago.com/press-release-2026/
/ Beverly Arts Center /

10/16/2026

The IAC Muse Newsletter Illinois Artist Spotlight:
Mel Watkin—FY26 IAC Creative Project Grant Recipient

Nestled within the western gateway of the Shawnee National Forest, lives artist Mel Watkin. Her work has been showcased nationally, with solo exhibitions at the Franklin Furnace Archives in New York and the Hyde Park Art Center in Chicago, among others. Watkin holds a BA from Bennington College and an MFA from the University of Montana. Her art often focuses on environmental themes, and she has been recognized with numerous grants and residencies, including a recent Franklin Furnace/Xeno Prize and an FY22 Illinois Arts Council Artist Fellowship.

Mel received an FY26 CPG grant for her newly released Notebook of Notes, which consists of 66 individual drawings and texts spread across 143 pages, focusing on environmental issues through sketches and quotes from various media. She is also working on a new series titled Beauty is a Beast, which explores the impact of invasive plant species accelerated by climate change. These drawings are completed on handmade paper pulped from old bank statements, demonstrating her commitment to reusing materials with historical significance. Watkin is also participating in the Not Just Another Pretty Face triennial exhibition at the Hyde Park Art Center, which opens on December 11. Her drawings, influenced by the Shawnee National Forest, are also currently on display at the Alto Pass Vineyard through December 30.

Reflecting on the support provided by the Illinois Arts Council, Mel shares, “The importance of IAC support for artists and arts organizations can't be underestimated, especially in my rural area. I live 5 1/2 hours south of Chicago—almost in Kentucky—surrounded by the Shawnee National Forest. Notebook of Notes, a major artist’s book, years in the making, would never have happened without IAC funding."

LEARN MORE: https://melwatkin.com/home.html

10/15/2026

Opportunity for Young Dancers:
/ YDTGC
/ Madison Street Theater
New cast members: $25 audition fee

Youth Dance Theater of Greater Chicago's Video Auditions Now Open for 'What the River Remembers'

This is an original dance theater production inspired by Landsay Currie's acclaimed novel, 'Scritch Scratch' and the true story of Chicago's 1915 Eastland disaster.

Video Auditions are being accepted October 15 – November 30 for dancers ages 7-18 years old!
Please register and find your audition materials and more information about the show online at https://ydtg-chicago.org/auditions

A parent information meeting will be held Thursday, October 29 at 6:30 pm on zoom. Please visit Youth Dance Theater of Greater Chicago's Facebook or Instagram hyperlinks for that future information.

Three things are required to complete the audition:
1. Complete the online audition registration form - it explains the production details, and includes a list of the roles you are wish to audition for. Both new and returning cast members need to complete this form. (See link below)

2. New cast members: Submit your video audition reel. Video auditions are due by November 29, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. See these instructions for submitting a video audition: Your video does not need to be broadcast quality or involve advanced editing. A clear video recorded on a phone is enough—their goal is to see the dancer’s movement, musicality, and personality.

3. New cast members: Pay the $25 audition fee. Returning cast members need not audition again or pay another audition fee.

No prior YDTGC membership is required. Dancers of all experience levels are welcome, and every dancer who auditions will be accepted into the company and placed in an age- and skill-appropriate role. Not every dancer needs the same role—but every dancer deserves a place in the story.

The performance will take place on March 20, 2027 at Madison Street Theater, Oak Park, IL

For ALL questions, email: [email protected]

10/15/2026

Opportunity for Artists:
Bridgeport Art Center /

RIDGEPORT ART CENTER proudly announces a call for artists for Q***R: LGBTIQCAPGNGFNBA+ — an art exhibition celebrating acceptance, pride, empathy, and love.
DEADLINE: Monday, November 30, 2026, midnight
The $27 application fee is non-refundable.

LGBTIQCAPGNGFNBA+ is an extended, highly inclusive initialism that represents Le***an, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Q***r/Questioning, Curious, Asexual, Pansexual, Gender-Nonconforming, Gender-Fluid, Non-Binary, and Androgynous, with the plus sign representing various other gender identities and sexual orientations.

Identifying as Q***r for many people around the globe signifies a fluid, flexible, and liberating state of being. Q***r is often preferred by those who feel their gender, orientation, or sexual identity doesn’t fit into a singular category. Individuals identify as Q***r as it can encapsulate all or a specific characteristic of their gender, orientation, or sexuality.

Many LGBTIQCAPGNGFNBA+ individuals have reclaimed Q***r as a word of pride and empowerment. Historically Q***r was a derogatory slur towards gay or any nonheterosexual person, originally meaning strange, odd, or unusual. By removing that energy as a demeaning insult, Q***r was reclaimed, adopted and embraced by identifying persons in the late 20th century as a badge of pride, flexibility, and resistance. While words are being distorted & identities are being debated, our essential requirement for love and support remains constant within human experience.

EXHIBITION DATES: Jan 15-March 5 2027
OPENING RECEPTION: Friday, Jan 15 2027, 7-10pm
Curated by Marci Rubin and exhibited in our distinguished 4th Floor Gallery.

APPLICATION LINK IN IG BIO (click the hyperlink!)
OR follow the link to learn more & to apply: www.bridgeportart.com/upcoming/

Questions? DO NOT ASK THEM HERE. Email: [email protected]

The IAC simply amplifies arts opportunities found across social media. We do not have any insider details beyond the original posts, so we encourage all to follow the links provided to research/explore the details and submit your applications.

10/14/2026

Opportunity for Artists:
CALL FOR ENTRIES
/ Bradbury Art Museum
2027 Delta National Small Prints Exhibition
Bradbury Art Museum, Arkansas State University
Deadline: Saturday, October 31st, 2026, 11:59PM (CST)
Entry Fee: $35 (non-refundable), Includes submission of up to three works.

Exhibition Dates: January 12 – March 19, 2027

The Bradbury Art Museum (BAM) invites submissions to the 2027 Delta National Small Prints Exhibition (DNSPE), a nationally recognized juried show dedicated to contemporary printmaking. DNSPE showcases the diversity, technical innovation, and conceptual depth of works on paper while supporting the growth of the museum’s permanent collection.

Eligibility: Open to all artists aged 18 or older.
- Works must be: Original prints on paper. Created within the past two years.
- Acceptable media include, but are not limited to: Intaglio, Lithography, Relief, Serigraphy (screenprint), Digital and photographic processes, Monotype
- Not eligible: Reproductions of pre-existing works, Works previously exhibited in DNSPE.

To learn more and to apply, follow the link: https://bradburyartmuseum.org/dnspe-callforentry-2027 OR visit 's link in bio

Featured Artwork: Anthony Ditrap, scream but no one answers, 2025 screenprint, 17 × 11.5 inches

Questions? DO NOT ASK THEM HERE. Email: [email protected]

10/14/2026

Opportunity for Printmakers:
/ ShadowBoxx Gallery

THE REVEAL: The Sublime Uncertainty of Almost Knowing
Waukegan , Illinois
Entry Fee: $20 / Additional Media Fee: $5
Event dates: Nov 21, 2026 - Feb 13, 2027

Deadline: Oct. 24, 2026, 11:59 p.m. CDT

THE REVEAL: The Sublime Uncertainty of Almost Knowing is the inaugural International Print Biennial presented by ShadowBoxX Gallery and co-sponsored by the Waukegan Printmakers Association.

Printmakers worldwide are invited to submit original work created through traditional analog printmaking processes including intaglio, mezzotint, relief, lithography, monotype, collagraph, screenprint, cyanotype and related processes.

THE REVEAL celebrates that extraordinary moment familiar to every printmaker: the work is done, the outcome has been imagined, and yet the final result remains just beyond certainty.

Selected works will be exhibited at ShadowBoxX Gallery in Waukegan, Illinois, USA for approximately three months, from November 2026 through February 2027.

International participation is strongly encouraged.

Size Limit: None
Deadline: October 24, 2026
Analog printmaking only

Begin your search on CAFÉ (Call for Entry): www.callforentry.org/
OR visit ShadowBoxX Gallery's website for more information:
www.manvshadow.com/shadowboxx-gallery

Questions? Email: [email protected]

10/13/2026

Opportunity for Artists/Artist Teams:
CALL TO ILLINOIS ARTISTS

The Illinois Arts Council has partnered with the Capital Development Board’s Art-in-Architecture Program (CDB/AIA) to promote an opportunity for Illinois artists.
Illinois Capital Development Board /

The Art-in-Architecture Program of the Capital Development Board is pleased to announce a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to Illinois professional artists to create permanent original public art for the Illinois Department of Transportation National Trail Rest Area in Effingham County, Illinois.

FINAL DEADLINE: Wednesday, December 2, 2026, 3:00 P.M.
Project Number: 630-636-003

These public art commissions and potential purchases are open to all professional artists, artisans, or artist-led teams that live and work in the state of Illinois.

The Committee is seeking two artwork installations for the walls that flank the Rest Area’s lobby. The artwork walls—constructed with metal studs covered in drywall—are shaped like bowties, each 20’ wide by 6’8” tall at the ends and 5’ tall in the center.

The artwork installations should draw inspiration from the historic National Trail. Artists can decide how much of each large, irregular-shaped wall is utilized for the installations. The artworks can be complementary or represent different concepts. The Rest Area is open 24/7, therefore the artwork must be durable and safe with limited to no annual maintenance.

The budget for the artwork is $31,000.

Email portfolio materials to [email protected] no later than Wednesday, December 2, 2026 at 3:00 P.M. Any portfolio submitted after the deadline will not be considered for this project.

For the Art-in-Architecture Commission Opportunities page: www.cdb.illinois.gov/professionalgrowth/art/commissionopportunities.html

Link to the RFQ Document:https://cdb.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/cdb/professionalgrowth/art/documents/rfq/nat-trail-rest-area-rfq.pdf

For questions, contact the Art-in-Architecture Program at:
[email protected]

10/13/2026

Opportunity for Chicago-based Artists/Artist Groups:
/ Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival

The application for the 2027 Chicago Puppet Lab is NOW OPEN!
Applications due by Thursday, October 22, 2026

This in-person laboratory selects 8 artists or artist groups for an 8-month residency, led by Puppet Lab Co-Directors: Tom Lee, Grace Needlman, and Vanessa Valliere.
Artists meet weekly to share, discuss, learn from one another, and engage with expert guest artists—all while contributing to the advancement of their puppetry projects.

Who Should Apply?
Chicago-based artists or artist groups who are not enrolled as full-time students. Established artists; BIPOC, q***r, and disabled artists; and artists working in puppetry or in other forms, such as dance, drag, comics, video, sculpture, game-design, robotics, music, and more are encouraged to apply with projects in any stage of development. Artists do not need to have experience in puppet theater or puppetry, but must show in their application how puppetry, puppet-manipulation or object-manipulation (i.e. moving an object through space in live performance) is an essential component of the proposed project. Chicago Puppet Lab is a collaborative environment where artists create work. Artists interested in supporting one-another’s work through conversation and critique should apply.

The Lab culminates in a mini-festival of live works-in-progress in Chicago, with support from the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival:
- A $1000 project stipend
- Photo & video documentation
- Technical & stage management
- Marketing and visibility

Important Dates:
• Application deadline: October 22, 2026
• Review completed and cohort confirmed by December 1
• Orientation session: Monday, January 11, 2027
• Festival Intensive: January 20 – February 31, 2027
• Weekly sessions: Mondays 6-9pm, Feb – July (except Memorial Day and week of July 4)
• Works-in-Progress Production Process: July 26 – August 11, 2027
• Works-in-Progress Showings: August 12-15, 2027

Follow the link to apply: https://chicagopuppetfest.org/chicago-puppet-lab-apply/

10/13/2026

Opportunity for Festival Grants:
/ Levitt Family Foundation
Applications due November 20, 2026

Applications are now open for 2027 Festival Grants from the Levitt Family Foundation, providing up to $5,000 in funding to U.S.-based nonprofits presenting free outdoor festivals that feature live music in public spaces!

If your organization is planning a festival in 2027—or you know one that is—now's the time to learn more.

Visit levitt.org/festivals to:
• Apply for a 2027 Festival Grant
• Register for the October 7 informational webinar
• Explore frequently asked questions
• Learn about 2026 Festival Grant recipients

To learn more, follow the link: https://levitt.org/
Applications are due November 20, 2026.
Festival Grants questions? DO NOT ASK THEM HERE. Email: [email protected]

10/13/2026

DEADLINE REMINDER!
Opportunity for Artist Residency:
International Museum of Surgical Science /

Apply by October 31 for the International Museum of Surgical Science's Artist Residency!
There is non-refundable $40.00 Application Fee for all applications.

The IMSS Artist Residency Program provides artists with extended and in-depth access to artifacts from its collection, working space within the Museum, and support to present exhibitions that introduce additional perspectives to the institutional depiction of medical history.
As artistic practice occupies an increasingly pluralistic field, the International Museum of Surgical Science believes that artists are uniquely equipped to extrapolate on Museum collections in innovative ways.

The Artist in Residence will be provided with:
- Access to the Museum's collection, archive, and library
-Visibility on the Museum's website and social media channels
-A month long capstone Solo Exhibition (or equivalent presentation) at the Museum

The International Museum of Surgical Science does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status.

Head to the link in their IG bio for more information OR follow the link and to apply today! www.imss.org/apply-to-the-residency/

Featured works:
Slide 1: Anke Loh, Spring 2024 Artist in Residence
Slide 2: Kathleen Gallo, Spring 2021 Artist in Residence | Tanya Gill, Spring 2023 Artist in Residence

Questions? Email: [email protected]
If you have any questions regarding this opportunity, do NOT ask them here. Contact the email listed above.

The International Museum of Surgical Science is located at 1524 N Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL

Illinois Arts Council

10/16/2026

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Monday	8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5pm
Friday	8:30am - 5pm