Illinois Humanities Awards $140,000 in Unrestricted Grant Funds to 14 Illinois Cultural Organizations
Features
Illinois Humanities
Read Time 5 minutes
December 11, 2024
Fourteen Illinois organizations were awarded $10,000 each in general operating funds this fall. Illinois Humanities’ General Operating Grants empower growth and sustainability by providing recipients with more flexibility and freedom to allocate resources wherever they need them most.
These organizations were selected out of over 130 applicants for their dedication to the humanities and cultural impact within their communities. Their missions center on a range of humanities disciplines and include commitments to community preservation, literacy, education, making cultural spaces more accessible, and more. Learn more about this group of outstanding grantees, which Illinois Humanities proudly supports.
Meet the Grantees
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Cairo Historical Preservation Project (Cairo, IL in Alexander County)
The Cairo Historical Preservation Project was founded in April 2021. Its primary mission is to preserve four historically, culturally, and architecturally significant buildings in Cairo: Ward Chapel AME Church, Cairo Public Library, Custom House, and Magnolia Manor.Madison County Historical Society, Inc. (Edwardsville, IL in Madison County)
The Madison County Historical Society (MCHS) was founded in 1922. Originally interested in collecting the history of the early white American settlers, the MCHS expanded its mission and scope over its 100 year history. Today MCHS’s mission is "Opening Doors to Madison County History" and its vision is to "inspire a sense of place and history for Madison County as a crossroads of America."Metro East Literacy Project (O’Fallon, IL in St. Clair County)
The Metro East Literacy Project (MELP) was established in 2012 in Illinois with a board of four relatives and foundational documents. It achieved 501(c)3 nonprofit status in 2019. MELP’s purpose is to promote literacy to adults and children by providing access to books, libraries, reading lessons, and quality reading experiences.South Macon Public Library (Macon, IL in Macon County)
Beginning as a trailer on the main street of Macon, the South Macon Public Library District has a permanent building and strives to meet the personal, educational, and recreational needs of each resident in the district by providing a wide variety of materials, specialized equipment, and access to technology.Stephenson County Historical Society (Freeport, IL in Stephenson County)
The Stephenson County Historical Society (SCHS) was founded in 1944. For the past 80 years, it has been led by an active and passionate group of staff and volunteers. SCHS’s mission is to preserve and promote local and regional history. It achieves its mission by maintaining, collecting and conserving quality artifacts, and educating the community.- The RealiTea ProjecT, Inc. (Toledo, IL in Cumberland County)
The RealiTea ProjecT, Inc. (TRP) was established in October 2020 in response to the need to communicate racial injustice and racial equity disparities within Coles County and surrounding communities. TRP’s work is centered around two programs: Cultural Humility/DEI Education and the Annual Juneteenth Celebration. TRP's educational framework is delivered through social media, interviews, workshops, support groups, facilitated discussions, mentorship, public speaking, and various community engagement and support.
South Macon Public Library's Christmas Cookie Decorating event!
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- Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium DBA Cultural Access Collaborative (Chicago, IL)
The Cultural Access Collaborative (CAC), formerly the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium, was founded in 2013 as a volunteer group and incorporated into a 501(c)3 in 2017. CAC facilitates a dynamic community of cultural administrators and people with disabilities to remove barriers in Illinois’ cultural organizations. Its mission is to empower Illinois’ cultural spaces to become more accessible to visitors with disabilities.
- Contratiempo NFP (Chicago, IL)
Founded in 2003 by a group of immigrant poets and writers as a print publication, Contratiempo’s mission is to elevate the cultural identity and contributions of the Spanish-speaking diaspora in the U.S. Contratiempo engages with some 14,000 people annually through its publications, literary workshops, and Contratiempo Radio.
- Guild Literary Complex (Chicago, IL)
The Guild Literary Complex is a 35-year-old grassroots literary arts organization, founded in 1989, creating performance-based events in and around the Chicagoland area. The Guild frequently partners and collaborates with other community groups on social and restorative justice issues, providing arts and advocacy programming for marginalized voices. As a Black-led organization, the Guild Complex has always held diversity and equity as values essential to its mission, ensuring its events feature and compensate both esteemed authors and emerging voices within Chicago’s robust literary landscape.
- Haitian American Museum of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
Founded in 2012, the Haitian American Museum of Chicago (HAMOC), is dedicated to promoting and preserving Haitian art, culture, history, and community. HAMOC has expanded its mission over the past decade, offering diverse cultural programs, educational activities, art exhibitions, and the preservation of Haitian art and artifacts.
- Lawndale Pop-Up Spot (Chicago, IL)
Lawndale Pop-Up Spot was established in 2016. It harnesses the humanities and the arts in service of community building, from Reimagining 16th Street to the summer festival to oral histories, photographic storytelling, and programs on Afrofuturism.
- MAKE Literary Productions, NFP (Chicago, IL)
MAKE Literary Productions, established in 2004, publishes MAKE Magazine and produces the annual Lit & Luz Festival. MAKE Literary Productions recently completed a thorough strategic planning process and is now taking significant steps to improve and expand various aspects of its operations, and revitalize its mission and vision statements.
- National Museum of Gospel Music (Chicago, IL)
The National Museum of Gospel Music was founded in 2017 to inspire people of all ages to learn about the rich history and impact of gospel music and its contributions to the foundation of American music culture through its exhibitions and programs.
- Perceptions Theatre (Chicago, IL)
Perceptions Theatre was founded in late 2019 to highlight the talents of BIPOC artists that were often overlooked within the broader Chicago theatre community. Perceptions Theater is committed to changing the way people perceive the world around them one show at a time.
Contratiempo celebrating the new edition of the Contratiempo magazine, 'Movilidades' with members and collaborators.
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