One State in the Arts & Humanities

6:00 – 8:30 p.m., Wednesday, 11/5 at Carmon’s

Kick off One State with a bang! 

Immediately following a kickoff mixer with hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails & mocktails, enjoy a plenary program and seated dinner featuring performances by Mariachi Libertad and a powerhouse panel that will help lay the groundwork for the rest of the conference. Erin Harkey (Americans for the Arts), Dr. Gabrielle Lyon (Illinois Humanities), Joshua Davis-Ruperto (Illinois Arts Council), and moderator Monica Eng (Axios) will discuss the national, statewide, and local implications of this unprecedented moment for the arts and culture sector – as well as the challenges, opportunities, and possibilities for what lies ahead.

10:00 - 11:00 a.m., Thursday, 11/6 in Illini Ballroom, Hilton Garden Inn

Join us for a special plenary marking milestone anniversaries — 60 years of the Illinois Arts Council, 50 years of Illinois Humanities, and 43 years of Arts Alliance Illinois. Together, these organizations represent decades of partnership, public investment, and belief in the creative life of our state.

In this session, we’ll explore what it means to invest together to build an Illinois where arts and humanities are not just funded, but fundamental. Speakers will reflect on how collaboration across sectors and regions strengthens our shared capacity to meet today’s challenges and expand cultural access for all Illinoisans.

Hear directly from policy makers and advocates about how to engage elected officials and civic partners in the work of cultural investment — and why a big-tent, all-in approach is essential to shaping a creative, equitable, and connected future for our state.

Speakers:

• Joshua Davis-Ruperto, Executive Director, Illinois Arts Council
• Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Executive Director, Illinois Humanities
• Claire Rice, Executive Director, Arts Alliance Illinois
• With insights from Illinois elected officials

11:40 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Friday, 11/7, Illini Ballroom at Hilton Garden Inn

• Illinois Poet Laureate Mark Turcotte will help us savor the final moments of the conference with a reading and some key reflections. 
• Gather your thoughts and map the future with colleagues from across the state, facilitated by the 2025 One State Planning Committee and other event organizers. 
• Join the Illinois Arts Council and Illinois Humanities in looking toward what’s next.

Location: TBD

Sue Greenberg, St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts (VLAA)

This fast-paced session will highlight common financial mistakes made by nonprofit arts organizations (and how to avoid them!). Participants will leave with a bird’s-eye view of topics like board and stakeholder relationships, budgeting, compliance pitfalls, and more.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Michael Scott; Dr. Mónica Félix; Pooja Das, all Chicago Cultural Alliance

Arts & culture institutions currently face federal spending cuts, unpredictable funding changes in the philanthropy space, intimidation tactics from ICE, and operations struggles. The Chicago Cultural Alliance (CCA) is “meeting the moment” by launching a series of programs designed to strengthen our membership with a slate of support programs, resources, and activities. In 2025, CCA launched a series of support programs designed to strengthen our membership of 50 ethnic museums and cultural centers. In this panel, we will address the purpose of the series and the structure of programs and activities. We will also cover how subject areas were identified and discuss the anticipated impact. Finally, we will explore ways that other organizations could take up similar work.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Helene Achanzar, Chicago Poetry Center; B Metzger Sampson, Chicago Poetry Center; Eugene Park, Full Spectrum Features; Jamyle Cannon, The Bloc; Katrina Dion, Free Street

Join leaders of the Chicago Poetry Center, Free Street, Full Spectrum Features, and The Bloc as they discuss sustainability and longevity for small non-profit organizations. Learn how to offer expansive programming on a limited budget, forge capacity-building partnerships and strategic collaborations, and prioritize equity and inclusion. The panel will be a resource for leaders of organizations without endowments, people curious about starting local collectives and initiatives, and anyone who wants to have an enduring, meaningful impact on their community.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Diego Ivan Villegas, Illinois Humanities

If there’s one certainty in messaging strategy, it’s that a crisis is always a matter of when, not if. In early 2025, Illinois Humanities lost nearly one-third of its funding due to federal cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Using this real-world example as its core case study, the session explores the fundamentals of crisis communications, from navigating today’s fast-moving media landscape to identifying and addressing misinformation. It also covers how to craft narratives that build trust and establish certainty with your audiences. Attendees will gain practical tools to sharpen their messaging strategy and respond effectively when a crisis hits. Whether you're preparing for the unexpected or already navigating turbulent situations, this session will equip you to communicate with clarity, build trust, and reinforce your organization’s values.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Randy Eccles, NPR Illinois; Staci Hoste, WNIJ & WNIU; Heather Norman, Tri States Public Radio; Jared Johnson, WVIK

What happens when nonprofits and public media move beyond traditional roles and imagine new ways to create together? This moderated panel will bring together leaders who have pioneered innovative collaborations in music, cultural programming, grassroots journalism, and community storytelling. Panelists will share bold approaches, lessons learned, and strategies that have redefined how nonprofits and media can work side by side to amplify voices and strengthen cultural connection. After a brief overview of media basics, participants will hear candid insights into partnership successes and challenges, discover adaptable models for their own organizations, and engage in Q&A with the panelists. Together, we’ll highlight how nontraditional alliances and visionary approaches can expand impact, break down silos, and build more collaboration between content creators.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Sasha Ongtengco, Arts Alliance Illinois; Elsa Hiltner, Lawyers for the Creative Arts                

Join Arts Alliance Illinois for an interactive workshop that explores the policy priorities and resources aimed at strengthening artists and creative workers across the state. Together we’ll explore what’s needed to advance equity and opportunity for talent in the creative sector. Arts Alliance’s Creative Workers Program Director will share highlights from the recent Creative Worker Policy Agenda refresh update, including findings and key areas for the next phase of advocacy. Learn more about the Creative Worker Resources Help Desk, which connects artists to career and employment navigation support, and engage in generative breakout activities and discussions that explore policy ideas and resources to benefit creative sector employers and workers.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Dr. Julie Traenkenschuh, OSF HealthCare; Dr. Mae Gilliland, ArtsPartners of Central Illinois, Inc.; Chanel Hargrave-Murry, Peoria Fashion Week Academy; Ezra Murry, Joker Visuals; Joe Spanier, ArtsPartners of Central Illinois

Ignite Peoria is a high-energy creative festival that celebrates the full spectrum of artistry — from drone racing and cosplay to experiential performance, fashion design, and sensory experiences. Since 2014, this nonprofit-led event has brought together artists, makers, technologists, performers, educators, and community organizations to build a one-day hub of imagination, experimentation, and public engagement. With two live performance stages, accessible programming like Sensory Ignite, and hands-on opportunities across disciplines, Ignite reflects the power of creative ecosystems built through curiosity and nontraditional collaboration. This panel will explore how Ignite is sustained through committee-led leadership, diverse funding strategies, public-private partnerships, and a deep belief that everyone is creative. Attendees will gain insight into scalable models for building cross-sector events that center shared ownership, joyful participation, and long-term impact — no matter the size of your team or city.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Alexandra Chiatello, Schuyler County Mental Health Association; Erin Eveland, The HUB - Arts & Cultural Center; Xochi Anderson, The HUB - Arts & Cultural Center; Terry Jenkins, Tracy Family Foundation

Stigma around mental health remains a major challenge. Join this panel as The Hub - Arts & Cultural Center, Schuyler County Mental Health Association, and Tracy Family Foundation share how they partnered to create a program that reduces stigma and can be adapted by organizations of any size. Panelists will invite open conversation about what worked, ongoing challenges, and how the arts and humanities can foster wellness, reflection, and connection. Attendees will actively participate, asking questions, exchanging ideas, and engaging in sample creative program activities, experiencing firsthand how creative expression sparks dialogue, builds empathy, and strengthens community bonds.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Zhen Heinemann; Amy Kisner; Mattie Wilson, all Cultural Access Collaborative

What is disability? What is accessibility? This session will provide a basic introduction to the world of accessibility in cultural spaces. Learn how accessibility is defined over a broad array of varying abilities, and how you can add access elements to your spaces and programming to create more welcoming experiences in your cultural institution.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Audrey King, Ellwood House Museum; Jonelle Bailey, Sycamore Park District; Michelle Donahoe, DeKalb County History Center

Arts in Action is a collaborative initiative by the DeKalb County History Center and Ellwood House Museum that explores how local history organizations highlight Black and Latino histories through community partnership, storytelling, and art. This session will share the project’s evolution, from an online exhibit to a physical installation, website, app, curriculum, and oral histories. Participants will engage in interactive exercises, including an analysis of project artwork and a sample “Dessert & Dialogue” conversation to explore multiple perspectives and build trust. Core themes include adaptive leadership, collaboration, working with “trusted community messengers,” and rethinking success and failure in belonging work. Attendees will leave with strategies to engage marginalized communities, tools for initiating difficult conversations, and a deeper understanding of how to broaden representation in local history through art.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Joshua Davis-Ruperto, Encarnacion Teruel, Teresa Davis, Jackie Banks-Mahlum, Susan Dickson, Jerome Grand, Danielle Heal, John Gawlik, Angelique Grandone, Jasmine Roberson, (all Illinois Arts Council)

IAC staff will review the recent changes and present the results of the current grant programs. They will then invite all participants to join a discussion of their experience with the changes in IAC’s structure and grant programs. This will springboard the conversation into the important areas of focus for IAC’s upcoming strategic planning. They’ll explore everything from new grant programs to grantmaking priorities. Come and lend your voice to help shape the future of the Illinois Arts Council.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Giselle Hamm, MAPPING the Future of Your Community, Illinois Institute of Rural Affairs; Kristin Terry, Value-Added Sustainable Development Center, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs; Quinn Adamowski, Landmarks Illinois 

Explore how arts and humanities can serve as powerful tools for strengthening community identity, fostering collaboration, and driving local economic growth. This session highlights creative, people-centered approaches to planning that honor culture, build partnerships, and inspire more vibrant and inclusive communities. Additionally, funding strategies that support the integration of the arts and humanities in community and economic development initiatives will be discussed.   

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Liz Howard, Kellogg School of Management - Northwestern University

Today’s world is anything but predictable — especially for arts and humanities organizations. As traditional approaches are challenged, now is the time to be innovative and creative and rethink how we create strategy, raise funds, and build marketing partnerships to shape a resilient future. This highly interactive session dives into the trends redefining the sector and considers potential success scenarios. Through scenario planning, creative fundraising approaches, and strategic marketing collaborations, you’ll explore bold, forward-looking solutions to adapt and thrive.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Beth Watkins, Spurlock Museum of World Cultures; Abigail Padfield Narayan, Spurlock Museum of World Cultures; Dale Mize, Spurlock Museum of World Cultures; Jerry Carden, Greater Community AIDS Project

Explore the collaborative use of AIDS Memorial Quilt panels as both exhibition material and teaching tools through a partnership between the Greater Community AIDS Project of Eastern Illinois (GCAP) and the Spurlock Museum. We will share how panels, owned by GCAP and stewarded by Spurlock, were curated into a museum exhibit, highlighting the ethical and interpretive considerations of presenting community-held objects in an academic space. Participants will learn how the quilts are incorporated into university teaching, encouraging reflection on public health, memory, community care, and activism. The session will also discuss strategies for sustaining long-term partnerships with community organizations, emphasizing reciprocal relationships and shared authority. Attendees will take away models for integrating community collections into exhibitions and pedagogy, as well as gain insights on collaboration and engagement around challenging histories.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Gretchen Upholt; Kate Piatt-Eckert, both BDO

Due to dramatic changes in government funding, rapidly increasing expenses, unpredictable audience engagement, and uncertainty about the current environment, many arts and culture organizations are facing significant financial challenges. While leaders cannot predict the future, they can adjust their financial plans, operating practices, and forecasting strategies to ensure they are equipped to make difficult, complex decisions in response to shifts in the external environment. This workshop will share practical tools developed by BDO’s national team of nonprofit advisors while exploring critical considerations for nonprofits, including guiding principles for scenario planning in uncertain times, an overview of cash management concepts and tools, cost intelligence strategies, and compliance and risk management concerns.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Breawna Austin; Stephanie Fisher; Lynne Chambers, Esq.; Ammiel Russell; Sarah Dobie; Robert Ketchens; Fern Logan, all Legacy Training Inc.

The Healing Illinois Fine Art Group Show highlights the work of the Artist Collective on Race, Equity, and Unity—an interdisciplinary group of master and teaching artists dedicated to advancing social justice, diversity, equality, and transformation. This session will present a curated selection of visual and performance art addressing themes of struggle, courage, and enlightenment, while honoring the history of Black people in the United States. Participants will experience how art can be used as a tool for dialogue, education, and healing in community-based organizations, schools, libraries, museums, and beyond. Attendees will leave with strategies for incorporating art into social justice conversations and a deeper understanding of how creative expression inspires equity and unity.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Jennifer Gunji-Ballsrud; Diana Liao, both Japan House - University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

At Japan House, the Way of Tea is more than a ritual — it is a profound practice in presence, empathy, and intentionality. Rooted in the philosophy of Ichigo Ichie (“one life, one meeting”), each tea gathering becomes a fleeting, unrepeatable moment of human connection. In this experiential session, participants will engage in a hands-on introduction to this time-honored Japanese practice, guided through mindful awareness and aesthetic simplicity. We will explore how this contemplative art form offers a pathway to shared stillness, attentiveness, and respect—values that resonate deeply in our current moment. As participants share tea, they will be invited to reflect on how the Way of Tea can serve as a model for gathering with care, creativity, and clarity of purpose. The session will offer takeaways for integrating these principles into community, organizational, or personal practice.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Kyla Williams Tate, Cook County Government, Office of the President

This experiential workshop will show how arts and humanities methods can strengthen equity and engagement. Blending performance, storytelling, and participatory art-making, the session models inclusive practice. Participants will engage in guided exercises that spark dialogue, foster connection, and lead to a co-created artifact capturing the group’s collective voice. Too often, those carrying the work of change have little time to renew themselves; this session offers space to pause, play, and replenish. Rooted in care, the workshop invites new ways of imagining belonging while demonstrating how creativity can dismantle barriers. Attendees will leave with strategies for integrating creative practices into meetings, programs, and community work, along with a deeper understanding of how arts-based approaches support care, inclusion, and systems change.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Joey Brewer, Spoon River Valley CUSD #4; Jennifer Burdette, Spoon River Valley CUSD #4; Nic Skinner, Beardstown Middle/High School

How can young people help us reflect on 250 years of American democracy? This interactive session highlights the Smithsonian’s Democracy in Dialogue Virtual Exchange (DiDVE) program, where Illinois students have engaged with peers from Hawaii, Idaho, Texas, Alabama, and Maine. Guided by the question, “How has your community experienced 250 years of American democracy?” students prepared through identity and community reflections, then led cross-state conversations that sparked empathy and civic imagination. Presenters will share student showcases and stories from their classrooms. The session will also incorporate research on Gen Z at the nation’s 250th — exploring how this diverse, connected generation is reimagining civic participation and democratic practice. Attendees will actively participate in a sample activity to experience how dialogue builds connection across communities. Together, we will explore how museums and humanities organizations can adapt this model to foster civic dialogue, amplify youth voices, and meet the moment of the 250th with creativity and care.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Ishita Dharap, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign; Kamila Glowacki, Krannert Art Museum

Rest Lab is an ongoing creative collaboration and intervention between two museum educators at a university art museum that challenges capitalistic ideas of productivity, urgency, and hustle culture. Since 2022, seven experimental pop-up experiences have invited museum visitors to rest with intention in museum galleries that are also “resting” between shows. Piloted in a time of overlapping crises, Rest Lab reframes our needs as generative. This experiential session will provide an overview of the seven different iterations of Rest Lab, including practical design elements and programming, situating the project within broader interventions into anti-racist and anti-ableist museum practices, followed by an invitation to visit Rest Lab 8: Greenspace, the newest iteration of this project, on view at Krannert Art Museum until Jan 31, 2026.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Gaye Shannon Burnett; Anita Green, both Azubuike African American Council for the Arts

This participatory workshop invites attendees to create quilt squares that tell their own stories. Facilitated by the Azubuike African American Council for the Arts, the session draws on African American quilting traditions as vessels of memory, resilience, and resistance. Participants will hand-stitch their quilt squares during the session, with fabric glue available for those less familiar with sewing. Guided storytelling prompts and small-group reflection will foster dialogue across generations and identities, while quilting becomes a metaphor for weaving individual narratives into a collective whole. By the end of this session, participants will leave with a completed quilt square, a ready-to-use facilitation guide, a materials list, sample prompts, and adaptable consent forms. They will also gain practical ideas for transforming this process into dialogue programs and local history projects

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Sue Scott, Western Illinois Museum; Brandace Cloud, The Macoupin Art Collective; Laura Blumenstock, The Macoupin Art Collective

You are part of this story. Pause to feel yourself in it: using supplies from The Macoupin Art Collective and BLICK Art Materials, create a “portrait” of yourself in this moment — drawn, written, crafted, collaged — any and all methods, media, and expressions encouraged!  

After the session, give the gift of shared creative reflection to your fellow conference attendees: hang your portrait up in the window gallery in the Hilton Garden Inn hallway, trade it, gift it, or simply cherish it. Keep adding portraits as you like throughout your time at One State, and by the end of the conference, we’ll have a record of our community meeting this moment together, moment to moment. 

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Hannah Johnson, Creative Healing Expressive Arts Center

Meeting the moment can be both intense and inspiring. But no matter what, moments are fleeting. Move together through this moment in physical and figurative ways that will help ensure the learning that happened here will last. The session will prioritize opportunities to share and synthesize conference learnings while offering movement strategies for continued self-care and regulation - preparing participants' minds and bodies for the greater movement/s (societal) ahead.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Paige Brown, Bustling Spaces, LLC

Join us to highlight the many ways that Illinois artists are taking the lead in supporting their creative communities in this current political environment and funding crisis. This session provides a forum for artists to share, in their own voices, how they are meeting this moment by creating platforms, forming coalitions and collectives, protecting artistic spaces, engaging in dialogue, and building the arts sector up in the face of all forces that would tear it down. Not a panel per se, this session will provide artists with the opportunity to describe the work they are doing to strengthen local arts ecosystems, uplift their fellow artists, invigorate their communities, and let attendees know how they can connect to these resources and engage with this work.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Dr. Tina Gonzales Childress, Illinois Arts Council

Creating accessible cultural spaces ensures that Deaf and Hard of Hearing patrons can fully engage in the arts. This session will explore practical strategies for improving access, including offering high-quality captioning, providing sign language interpreters, and training staff to confidently support patrons with hearing loss. Participants will learn how to evaluate their spaces, select appropriate accommodations, and communicate options effectively to audiences. By highlighting best practices and real-world examples, this session equips cultural organizations to reduce barriers, increase inclusion, and enhance the overall experience for diverse communities.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Bindu Poroori, Arts Alliance Illinois; Doug Johnson, McLean County Arts Center; Mary McNamara Bernsten, Rockford Area Arts Council

Join us for a deep dive into the nuts-and-bolts considerations behind a successful arts advocacy campaign. The session will begin with shared context before moving into breakout discussions focused on three real-world Illinois case studies: developing and implementing a regional cultural plan through a community coalition; building broad-based support for a municipal public art initiative; and organizing to protect a city’s arts budget. Participants will leave with practical tools — including rubrics for assessing local campaign needs and timelines — as well as clear pathways to connect with Arts Alliance Illinois’ statewide organizing networks that are building collective power for arts and culture.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Ali Drumm; Jess Hutchinson, both 2nd Story

What would it look like if workplaces actually cared for the people in them? In this interactive workshop, 2nd Story facilitators will guide participants through story-based theatre and reflection exercises to imagine what a human-centered organization looks like. Participants will examine their own sphere of influence, identify small and large ways to bring care to themselves and colleagues, and consider how we can model empathy and support - no matter where we sit in the org chart. Attendees will co-create actionable strategies, build connections, and leave with practical tools to immediately apply care-centered practices at work.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Dr. Megan VanGorder, Illinois State University; Joey Brewer, Spoon River Valley CUSD #4; Dr. Bradley J. Wiles, Northern Illinois University Libraries

This roundtable brings together historians and creative practitioners working at the intersection of local storytelling, digital history, and regional identity. Featuring The Forgottonia Project, the Southland History Collective, and the Northern Illinois Regional History Center, this session explores how grassroots initiatives can simultaneously build content and partnerships — offering replicable models for rural, urban, and academic collaborations. Presenters will share their experiences developing lesson plans, curating archives, designing inclusive websites, navigating place-based storytelling, and conducting public programs and outreach in historically overlooked regions. Attendees will come away with concrete ideas for community-driven content, cross-sector partnerships, and innovative public humanities models.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Sara Phalen; Marissa Garza, both West Chicago City Museum

This session explores how museums can create solidarity spaces that prioritize care, connection, and cultural affirmation, especially during times of community threat. Drawing on examples of museums responding to intimidation, censorship, and immigration enforcement, we will examine how institutions can move beyond statements of support to actionable strategies of solidarity. Participants will learn practical approaches for reducing risk in programming (rethinking registration systems, decentering buildings, hybrid and outdoor formats), building authentic collaborations with grassroots partners, and leveraging museum resources to support mutual aid and rapid response networks. After a short presentation, a roundtable discussion will discuss barriers museums are facing to creating solidarity spaces utilizing how the West Chicago City Museum has worked with their community to work in solidarity with community issues.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Dr. Rachel Storm, Krannert Art Museum

In the face of growing climate instability, shrinking budgets, and shifting institutional priorities, how can arts and humanities practitioners safeguard their work and communities? This roundtable invites an open, interactive dialogue among artists, educators, and cultural leaders to strategize approaches for sustaining our practices, protecting fragile resources, and ensuring resilience. Together, we will exchange experiences, share creative models of resistance and adaptation, and imagine collective strategies to sustain the work that matters most.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Dr. Mae Gilliland Wright, ArtsPartners of Central Illinois, Inc.; Lily A. Blouin, Independent Nonprofit Consultant; Lynne Chambers, Esq., Legacy Training, Inc.; Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Illinois Humanities

This session explores how nonprofit boards can rise to the occasion when faced with pivotal opportunities or unexpected crises. Too often, boards are underprepared or underutilized, leaving Executive Directors without the support they need. Together, we will examine what it takes to build board readiness, foster strong board-staff partnerships, and activate board members when their leadership matters most. Through a moderated panel of seasoned Executive Directors and board leaders and experts, participants will hear real stories of boards stepping up. Through hands-on reflection and creative exercises, attendees will identify their own board challenges and leave with concrete strategies they can apply immediately. Emphasizing practical tools and peer learning, this session is part of a broader statewide effort to strengthen connections among nonprofit leaders and share resources. Participants will walk away with actionable ideas and connection to peers facing similar challenges and opportunities.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Deidre Huckabay; Kelsey McFalls, both Golden Egg

Arts funders often ask artists and grassroots organizations to deliver systems change, but their one-off investments rarely shift structures, create sustainable income streams, or build capacity. More often, the result of these large, one-time grants is burnout, shame, and abandoned innovation. This roundtable discussion brings together artists and arts workers who have led major innovation projects to share what worked, what didn't, and what they learned about sustaining these projects. The discussion will be co-facilitated by the organizers of Golden Egg, a 2024 pilot program launched with a $100,000 grant to create the nation's first retirement matching program for freelance musicians in Chicago. Participants can expect to leave the session with a deeper understanding of the barriers to sustaining innovation in the arts, and what creative strategies might be able to keep systems-change efforts alive when traditional funding falls short.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Elaine Bearden, The Urbana Free Library; Nika Lucks, Independent Artist

Artists-in-Residence at a public library?! Yes! Find out why and how The Urbana Free Library created this opportunity, the challenges, and the impacts on the organization and the artists selected.  After Q&A, participants in this session will be invited into a discussion, guided by questions to explore the why and how of art in unexpected places in their own communities.  This session is relevant to both organizations and individual artists.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Joseph Calderone, Illinois Association of Museums & VITAS Healthcare; Shana Cooper, Illinois Association of Museums; Alison Costanzo, Lombard Historical Society

Museums are becoming vital partners in health and wellness, and the Illinois Association of Museums (IAM) is leading with two visionary initiatives rooted in the arts and humanities. Museums on Call connects cultural institutions with healthcare providers to deliver reminiscence-based pop-ups, virtual engagement, and calming spaces that draw on storytelling, visual art, and historical interpretation to comfort patients and caregivers. The Resiliency Collective, developed with NAMI Illinois, helps museums embed mental health awareness into exhibits and programming, using creative expression, empathy-driven design, and humanities-based dialogue to foster emotional resilience. These initiatives demonstrate how museums can harness their cultural assets to promote healing, connection, and dignity. Attendees will explore how the arts and humanities, through narrative, aesthetics, and shared meaning, can transform museums into compassionate spaces of care. This session offers practical strategies and inspiration for museum professionals, healthcare partners, and community advocates alike.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Chris Vallillo, Independent Artist; Fairouz AbuGhazalerh, Illinois Humanities; Angelique Grandone, Illinois Arts Council

Rural roots musician/folklorist and producer Chris Vallillo has been creating award-winning shows that celebrate the heritage of rural Illinois for over 25 years. In this workshop, he will discuss the rewards and challenges of creating and presenting new work successfully in rural Illinois by focusing on his latest production, Forgottonia, as a working example of the creative process and the partnerships that made it work, ending with a short performance from the show. The session will close with Fairouz AbuGazaleh of Illinois Humanities and Angelique Grandone, of the Illinois Arts Council, discussing their support for the arts and humanities in rural Illinois and the resources that they can bring to the table for new rural works.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Jeanne Schultz Angel, Illinois Association of Museums; Kelly Klobuchar, Joliet Area Historical Museum; Cathay Smith (tentative), Chicago-Kent College of Law

AI permeates daily life in ways known and unknown. The future of artificial intelligence and the endless applications are both daunting and exciting. Cultural institutions have the opportunity to incorporate new AI technologies into nearly every aspect of operations and this session explores various examples of using AI in internal operations such as scheduling and marketing, and exhibit design. In addition, we will hear from legal experts on the forefront of AI about how new laws can protect creators and their intellectual property.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Andrew Schneider, Arts Alliance Illinois

With federal arts funding facing renewed uncertainty under a new Congress and administration, now is the time for cultural leaders to deepen their understanding of how public funding for the arts works at the state level. Across the country, states use a wide range of dedicated revenue mechanisms — from tourism and hospitality taxes to specialty funds and budget set-asides — to sustain creative sector investment over time. In this highly interactive session, participants will explore real-world examples, compare approaches, and reflect on Illinois’ current revenue landscape. Together, we’ll surface collective knowledge and perspectives on how state funding systems shape what’s possible for arts and culture.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Elsa Hiltner; Weston Dombroski, both Lawyers for the Creative Arts

Is your nonprofit in compliance with Illinois law and IRS requirements? Not sure? Join Lawyers for the Creative Arts as we demystify the operating and reporting requirements for nonprofit organizations. Make sure your nonprofit never misses a report by learning about filing requirements for the Attorney General’s office, Secretary of State, and IRS. And, learn what to do if your nonprofit has fallen out of compliance.

Location: TBD

Presenter(s): Jessica Modica, Freeport Art Museum

In this session, we’ll discuss how arts and humanities organizations can help address tough challenges facing smaller, rural cities in ways that build relationships and foster civic cohesion. Jessica will share how guerrilla tactics for asset mapping and partnership development were used to create three successful projects and programs that have built trust and relevancy in their community.