Southern Arts Fund, Artspace name regional grant recipients

Artspace 304 announces 18 arts and cultural projects throughout the region that are being supported by grants from the Southern Arts Fund. Recipients include individual artists and nonprofit organizations from southern Illinois that propose events and programs with a significant community outreach component.

In 2022, Artspace 304 distributed more than $40,000 SAF grants, of $500-$3,000 apiece, to artists and groups throughout southern Illinois, with the mission of expanding access to and availability of public art projects, encouraging creative community initiatives, and promoting regional collaboration.

"Artspace 304 is fortunate to have the support of the Illinois Arts Council Agency, City of Carbondale, Builders Vision, and donors from throughout the region," Executive Director Chuck Benya said. "Because of their extraordinary generosity and investment in the arts, we were able to provide more substantial grants to more recipients this year. We look forward to continuing to expand the SAF in 2023."

All SAF-funded events and programs are open to the public and aim to bring diverse arts and cultural experiences to the region.

"SI CABE wanted to center a female Latinx/Chicana singer-songwriter for our new Latin Summer Nights community concert series," said Colleen Springer-Lopez, who organized the event with the Southern Illinois Culture & Arts in Bilingual Education (SI CABE). "With a grant from the SAF, we were able to host Diana Hinojosa at the beginning of the summer. The concert brought out a diverse audience to socialize, dance, and revitalize downtown. I was excited to see many new faces in the crowd!"

This year, the SAF provided support to 10 projects in Jackson and Williamson counties and eight projects in greater Southern Illinois, reflecting Artspace 304's emphasis on offering arts resources locally and throughout the region.

2022 Southern Arts Fund Recipients

• African American Museum of Southern Illinois, Juneteenth Freedom Celebration

• Art for All, Marion Summer Art Program

• Carbondale Main Street, Brown Bag Concerts

• Carbondale Park District, Jazz in the Park

• Carbondale United, Cairo Heritage Gospel and Blues Festival

• Cobden High School - ESL Club, Ballet Folclorico Dance Team

• DeSande R, The Door of No Return & The Struggle Before Greatness

• Douglass School Art Place, Hands in the Hood

• Legacy Training, Inc., Just a Vocalist: The Art of the Music Business

• Madeline Deiters, Kre8ive Fine Arts Ground and Wall Mural

• Michael Faris, A History of Racism

• Phillip Carrier, Sculptural Bridges at Touch of Nature Trails

• Project Human X, Project Human X Art Festival

• Robert Ketchens, A Painted History Mural

• Sandra Pfeifer, 39 Counties: Save Democracy Tour

• Southern Illinois Artist Collective on Race, Equity, and Unity, A Response to the Legacy of Racial Terrorism in America: A Fine Art Show

• Southern Illinois Culture and Art in Bilingual Education (SI CABE), Latin Summer Nights

• Stone Soup Shakespeare Theater Company, A Midsummer Night's Dream Tour

Applications for the SAF were evaluated by members of the Southern Illinois Artists Council based on the following criteria: proposal quality, pursuit of excellence, community impact and need, dedication and follow-through, and community support.

The Southern Illinois Artists Council (SIAC) is a community board formed in 2022 to assist Artspace 304 in increasing arts, access, and advocacy in the region. Members of the SIAC include nonprofit leaders, arts educators and organizers, and independent artists who represent six counties throughout Southern Illinois.

The SAF will reopen to accept new project proposals in spring 2023. For more information on the Southern Arts Fund, visit artspace304.org/southern-arts-fund.