The Galesburg Civic Art Center was notified Monday evening, that the budget bill passed by the Illinois General Assembly over the weekend, has allocated $2,000,000 to them for a major capital project through the Illinois Arts Council Agency. The budget bill is now on Governor Pritzker’s desk, and he is expected to sign it in the weeks ahead. The bill preserves $13.3 million in funding for the Illinois Arts Council Agency, and safeguards a historic $50 million investment to the arts sector made as part of 2019’s “Rebuild Illinois” capital bill.
While several steps remain to receive the funding from the Rebuild Illinois Projects Fund, this is a critical step for the Art Center, many months in the making. The Art Center has been using information gathered from meetups, focus groups, and survey requests over the last few years, paired with conversations had with stakeholders, funders, partners, and members to process the needs of our community and create a collaborative plan to be launched in its 100th year – 2023. This process has also included evaluating the feasibility of renovating their current facility, as well as exploring a variety of available buildings and empty spaces downtown that could accommodate a new community arts center.
“Working with the Illinois Arts Alliance, and being part of the Arts & Culture Capital Coalition has been a great experience, and we are thrilled to be included in a network of organizations that are investing in the future of the arts and the future of our communities,” says Tuesday Çetin, Executive Director, “the Art Center has been part of our community for nearly 100 years. It is exciting to think about what is possible with this type of capital investment – building a new community arts center that is an inspiring space to collaborate, explore, and connect.”
“Arts, culture, and the creative sector are needed now more than ever,” said Arts Alliance Illinois Executive Director Claire Rice. “Cultural spaces are not only community anchors, these capital funds will create jobs in the arts and culture, construction, and manufacturing industries. Our sector is and will be a critical part of the healing and restoration of Illinois, and we look forward to working with the legislature, governor, and the IACA as we move our sector into recovery.”
Visit www.galesburgarts.org to learn more about arts programming available to our community and capital campaign fundraising efforts.
***Report Courtesy of the Galesburg Civic Art Center***
