Public Accountability Report
Illinois Arts Council
(Appropriated Spending in Thousands)
| FY |
FY |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reporting Programs | Expenditures | Headcount | Expenditures | Headcount |
| Capital Funds | $ 12,161.1 | 1.0 | $ 37,572.4 | 1.0 |
| Creative Sector | $ 6,964.2 | 3.0 | $ 5,144.8 | 2.5 |
| Arts Education | $ 1,715.8 | 1.0 | $ 1,332.5 | 1.0 |
| Underserved Populations | $ 1,232.0 | 2.0 | $ 1,120.0 | 1.0 |
| Arts and Cultural | $ 1,100.0 | 1.0 | $ 1,000.0 | 1.0 |
| Arts and Foreign Language | $ 907.5 | 1.0 | $ 825.0 | 1.0 |
| Non-Reporting Programs | ||||
| $ 2,235.5 | N/A | $ 2,010.6 | 8.0 | |
| $ 1,657.8 | 1.0 | $ 1,507.1 | N/A | |
| $ 945.0 | N/A | $ 600.0 | N/A | |
| Totals | $ 28,918.9 | 10.0 | $ 51,112.4 | 15.5 |
Amounts may not sum to total due to rounding.
Agency Narrative
The Illinois Arts Council (IAC) plays a crucial role in boosting the state’s economy and quality of life by investing in the nonprofit arts sector, advancing arts education, and supporting creative artists. The IAC's General Operating Support grants are vital for organizations, providing unrestricted financial support.
The IAC’s mission is to foster collaboration and partnerships across Illinois, promoting inclusivity and access to arts programs in underserved communities. Over the past two years, the IAC has worked to equalize opportunities in communities with limited access to arts programs due to geography, economic conditions, age, or diversity.
Examples of IAC-funded projects include:
- A partnership with the Local Arts Network to support arts programs in underserved communities, starting with East St. Louis, where workshops and town hall meetings helped local organizations access state and federal funding.
- The General Operating Support grant funded ART Reach’s Project FIRE, an artist development program using glassblowing to support trauma recovery and provide jobs for youth affected by violence.
- The Summer Youth Employment in the Arts grant funded high school students to work at the Little Theatre on the Square in Sullivan, IL, helping the theatre boost local economic impact by attracting large audiences to its professional productions.
Through these efforts, the IAC continues to foster connectivity, cooperation, and celebration in communities across Illinois.
Updates for fiscal year 2024:
- Illinois Arts Council conducted a thorough evaluation of its programs, assessing the impact on the state, which guided necessary changes in its approach. As a result, significant changes were made to the General operating Support (GOS) grant, starting in fiscal year 2024.
- These changes include a multi-year grant cycle, simplified application materials, updated review criteria, and a revised funding formula. The GOS grant will now operate on a three-year cycle with less paperwork, focusing on organizational feasibility.
- The agency's restructuring efforts also include dividing the state into six regions, allowing Program Directors to work more directly with communities, particularity those that are rural or under-resourced.
