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Programs

Pictured: A neighborhood dialogue in Humboldt Park, Chicago.

We bring people together from all across Illinois to share, learn, and grow. Get involved and find new ways to stay creative, curious, and connected.

Illinois Humanities at 50

Celebrating 50 years of creativity, connection, and community!

Presenting our latest public event series: A People’s Salon. Over four evening programs, A People’s Salon will center pressing and timely themes and issues accompanied by a unique lineup of performances and a chef-driven dinner.

Illinois State Capitol in Springfield on a sunny afternoon 2022 i Stock 1361965298

America at 250

July 4, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The humanities have a special role to play.

Chicago Style

Part of Art Design Chicago, Chicago Style used the power of design to unite South Side home movies, fashion archives, personal narratives, and community legacies to stitch the past with our present, culminating in a fashion show and film debut.

The Country and The City

The Country and The City brings rural and urban Illinoisans together to exchange ideas and foster mutual understanding. Through the arts and humanities, we discover new connections and bridge differences.

Envisioning Justice

Examine and reimagine the criminal legal system through the arts and humanities. Together, we leverages arts and humanities to examine mass incarceration and collectively shape a more just future.

Hero Foreground We Live Here Forgottonia Img by Bruce Morton crop

Foreground Rural Initiative

The Foreground Rural Initiative amplifies the voices of rural communities and small towns. Together with local partners, we offer grants and capacity-building, and co-create public programs and events.

The Gwendolyn Brooks Youth Poetry Awards

Celebrate the legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks and the creativity of K-12 writers in Illinois. These annual awards are a platform for the next generation of poets to share their voices and develop their craft.

Museum on Main Street

We partner with the Smithsonian Institution and local cultural organizations to bring traveling exhibitions to small towns in Illinois. These world-class exhibitions help to bolster local cultural organizations and their communities.

The NEA Big Read

When we read together, we broaden our imaginations and understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves. Join a book group and read alongside other NEA Big Read groups across Illinois and the nation.

The Odyssey Project

The Odyssey Project believes that education is liberatory and should be accessible to all. This free college program empowers adult learners to jump-start their education in a supportive community of students and educators.

Hero Road Scholar Catalina Maria Johnson cr Carolina Sanchez

Road Scholars Speakers Bureau

Road Scholars Speakers travel across Illinois to bring art, culture, history, and contemporary social issues to life. Invite a speaker to your community to share their passion and expertise about literature, philosophy, theater, local history, film, music, politics, and more – at no cost to you!

Contact Us

Robert White
Senior Director of Programs

info@ilhumanities.org
(312) 422-5580

Attend an event!

Contact

Suite 650, 125 South Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60603

312.422.5580 312.374.6787

info@ilhumanities.org

600 Troy Road
N4, Room 207
Edwardsville, IL 62025

618.468.5580

statewide@ilhumanities.org

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Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly [through the Illinois Arts Council], as well as by contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations.

Illinois Humanities respects the privacy of its audiences and will at no time sell or distribute personal information to any party not directly affiliated with Illinois Humanities and its programs.

Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, our partnering organizations, or our funders.