The Evanston Arts Council today announced that it has awarded $70,000 in grant funds to support local arts programs in Evanston.

Earlier this year, the Evanston Arts Council was awarded $30,000 in grant funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and $10,000 from the Illinois Arts Council to support local arts programs through Cultural Fund Grants. Together with $30,000 in City funding, these grants more than doubled the grant budget from previous years to $70,000. After receiving 34 applications from individual artists, organizations and community arts groups, 20 were selected as award recipients. 

Before accepting applications, the Council reaffirmed its commitment to nourish and build an inclusive community where creative expression thrives and the arts flourish, empower and amplify artists and arts organizations as community builders and change makers, and support diverse forms of expression by providing equitable access to the arts. 

With this commitment in mind, individual artists were invited to apply as well as 501(c)(3) organizations and grassroots community arts groups in an effort to make the grant program more inclusive. The Arts Council also specified that applications from BIPOC organizations and individuals, and programs that serve underserved demographics and communities would be given priority. In addition, the Arts Council selected a judging panel of local artists and arts organizers with BIPOC representation.

This approach led to program successes including:

• The highest number of applications ever received
• The full ask of $5,000 being awarded to the highest scoring applications 
• More than a quarter of awards going to first-time applicants 
• Over 80 percent of awards going to BIPOC individuals or organizations, and/or programs primarily serving underserved populations

2022 Cultural Fund Grant Recipients:

$5,000

• Open Studio Project
• Northlight Theatre
• Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre
• Crossing Borders Music
• Music Institute of Chicago 

$4,000

• Mudlark Theater
• The Actors Gymnasium 
• Mitchell Museum of the American Indian 
• Claudia Renteria
• Melissa Raman Molitor

$3,600

• Mathew Rappaport

$2,500

• Art Encounter
• Yeefah Thurman and Lisa Reitman 
• Piven Theatre Workshop
• Evanston Art Center
• Evanston Symphony Orchestra Association 
• Haitian Community Organization 
• Evanston In-School Music Association

$2,200

• The Musical Offering

$1,700

• North Shore Choral Society

For more information, call/text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents in Evanston may simply dial 3-1-1.