Individual artist support initiative

Overview

The Illinois Arts Council (IAC) has a long history of support for Illinois’ individual artists.  Until this year, the IAC Artist Fellowship Program had continuously provided fellowships to Illinois creative artists for more than 20 years.  Illinois artists have also been supported through the Special Assistance, Ethnic & Folk Arts Master/Apprentice and Governor’s International Arts Exchange Programs.  In addition, the Artstour Program and Arts-in-Education residencies have provided opportunities for artists to work as teaching artists and performers throughout Illinois. The IAC recognizes that individual artists are the keystone to the creation of art. The Council remains committed to individual artists despite diminishing resources.

Due to the steep reduction in the IAC’s operating budget for grants, several grant programs had to be suspended for FY2010 and others had to be greatly reduced.  The limited funds available in FY2010 to provide direct support to individual artists forced the agency to suspend the Artists Fellowship and Ethnic and Folk Arts Master/Apprenticeship Program and severely limit the availability of Special Assistance opportunities for artists.  The Individual Artist Support (IAS) Initiative was developed to bridge the gap left by the suspension of these programs.

This initiative was created to help Illinois artists realize a career goal, take advantage of a professional opportunity, and/or produce a project or body of work for public viewing. IAS represents the Illinois Arts Council’s commitment to continuing to support the work of individual artists. IAS encompasses two individual tracks: the Individual Artist Professional Development track (IA-PD) and the Individual Artist Project track (IA-Project).

General Program Information

Each track has specific limitations and requirements.   Please read the entire guidelines thoroughly to determine which track best suits the nature of the proposed project.  Artists may submit only one application.  Applications submitted to the incorrect track will be rendered ineligible. Awards will be equal to the amount requested by the applicant.

The Individual Artist Professional Development track (IA-PD) seeks to support professional development opportunities and projects related to an individual artist’s career. Grant amounts for IA-PD are $500 or $750 with no cash match required.

The Individual Artist Project Track (IA-Project) seeks to support individual creative artists in the creation, production, and presentation of their work. Grant amounts for IA-Project are $2,000, $3,500, or $5,000 with a 25% cash match required.

Application Deadline: Monday, February 1, 2010

Project Dates: April 1 – August 31, 2010

Use the menu to the left to navigate through the complete FY10 Individual Artist Support (IAS) Initiative online guidelines. A link to the electronic application can be found in the "Application Components" section.