Illinois Humanities Announces $62,500 in Community Grants

Among projects funded are Migration & Me story circles, a community photo gallery in Springfield, and two projects focusing on the Calumet area

Illinois Humanities has awarded 13 grants, totaling $62,500, to support public humanities projects across the state through its Community Grants program. Through the program, grants are made three times annually to support public humanities projects that strengthen community resilience by bringing people together for inquiry and conversation, engaging new audiences, and exploring more interactive programming techniques – such as digital humanities tools. Simply put, funding supports public humanities programming, planning, and partnerships.

Of the 13 organizations and projects funded, 8 are located in Chicago, and 5 are located or feature activity outside the Chicago area. They include:

• Architreasures / Little Calumet River Underground Railroad Project ($4,000) – Chicago
• Calumet Collaborative / Historic and Future Black River and Food Economies ($8,000) – Chicago
• Chicago Area Women’s History Council / Envisioning the Future of the Chicago Women’s History Council ($2,000) – Chicago
• Chicago Parks Foundation / Queering the Parks ($8,250) – Chicago
• ConTextos / Cook County Dept of Corrections Animated Publication ($4,250) – Chicago
• Dreaming Tree Foundation (Fresh Films) / I Am Able documentary screening and discussion series ($4,250) – Rock Island
• Faith in Place / Migration & Me Story Circles ($4,000) – Chicago
• Freedom in Holiness Mission / East Side Community Photo Gallery ($4,250) – Springfield
• Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois / Preserving Illinois’ Green Book Sites ($8,250) – Chicago
• NON:op Open Opera Works / SAY THEIR NAMES: Remembering Black Americans Killed by Police Officers ($4,250) – Chicago
• Perceptions Theatre / Healing Through Connection & Creation ($4,250) – Chicago
• Watershed Cairns / Reversing the Course research & community exhibits ($4,000) – Alton
• Westchester Public Library / Exploring the Human Condition through Nature ($2,750) – Westchester

The Illinois Humanities Community Grants programs has three deadlines in 2022: January 15, May 15, and September 15. For more information, visit: ilhumanities.org/grants or email Mark Hallett at email Mark Hallett at mark.hallett@ilhumanities.org.