Illinois Arts Council

Opportunity for Poets:
The Academy of American Poets /
Applications are open for 2026–27 Poetry Coalition Fellowships
Deadlines vary: Please review the multiple organizations in the link

These paid, part-time fellowships offer hands-on experience with nonprofit literary arts organizations across the country, including work in programming, community engagement, communications, development, editorial projects, archives, and arts administration.

Fellowships are 20 hours per week and run from September 2026 through June 2027. Each Fellow receives a $20,000 stipend, plus $1,100 toward health care.

Individuals aged 21 and older are invited to apply.

The fellowship may be a strong fit for applicants who are interested in poetry, literary arts administration, nonprofit work, community programming, publishing, fundraising, communications, arts education, or cultural organizing.

How to Apply:
Applicants should review the host opportunities listed in the link and apply directly through the organization or organizations that best match their interests, skills, location, and availability.

Each host organization manages its own application process and deadline. For questions about a specific fellowship position, contact the host organization listed in that opportunity.

Visit the link to explore the full list of host organizations, position details, deadlines, and application information: www.poets.org/academy-american-poets/poetry-coalition-fellowships/2026-27
OR visit poetsorg's IG link in bio

For questions about a specific fellowship position, contact the host organization listed in that opportunity.

Opportunity for Vendors:
Apply To Be A Vendor
General Vendor Application

Their next event on Saturday, June 20th 2026, 11am-5pm. There will be over 30 vendors with a large variety of clothes, jewelry, art, and more! Getflea focuses on giving opportunities to underrepresented artist communities. Expect a diverse range of cultures to learn about and shop from.

Apply to have a booth or send us a DM to get involved.
www.getflea.market
This is a partnership with .teensinthepark and / Chicago Park District

Getflea hosts bi-annual popups giving young artists & entrepreneurs the chance to have their own booth at Flea Market style pop up event.

Pagoda & Pavilion, Ping Tom Park, 1700 S. Wentworth Ave
Free Entry

Questions? Email: [email protected]

IAC Creative Projects Grant
DROP-IN #1
Tuesday, June 23rd at noon

Drop-ins are an open hour with IAC Program staff. Come with any questions you have about the grant program or application and get answers on the call.

Just click the link in the description to join the meeting when it is time.
www.arts.illinois.gov/workshops---webinars.html

Opportunity for Chicago Communities:
Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events /

Apply for a Neighborhood Access Program (NAP) grant to fund arts and cultural projects in your community!

The goal of the Neighborhood Access Program (NAP) is to support the cultural vitality of every Chicago neighborhood via grant programs and partnerships designed to be responsive to the complex needs of individual communities. This program will offer direct grants for all types of place-based arts and culture activities.

The first step is simple! Submit your idea for an arts or culture project in your neighborhood with some basic information about you.

Review the NAP guidelines for details, including updated contract requirements for awarded grantees; available in English and Spanish.

It's easy to apply! Submit your idea by July 1, 2026, at noon CT. Visit www.ChicagoCulturalGrants.org to attend an application assistance workshop and apply.

Webinars:
Information sessions will give an overview of the NAP program, review what is needed to apply, and briefly introduce the online application system. Both information sessions will cover the same material.
Information Session | Wednesday, June 10 | 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. CT Register online
Information Session | Tuesday, June 23 | 4-5:30 p.m. CT Register online

The Ideas Application webinar will cover a more detailed look into the Ideas application, beyond the Neighborhood Access Program overview information session.
Ideas Application Workshop | Tuesday, June 16 | 1-2 p.m. CT Register online

Please email [email protected] for questions.

The IAC Creative Projects Grant Webinar is now available on our YouTube channel!
Led by IAC Program Staff, grant webinars discuss application tips and best practices, including how to use the agency’s online Salesforce grant platform.

Just click the link in the description to view the video on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtZy4gxvmcY&list=PLsq28Hp1fKyFtS2LhrzCYnMZUJLCTFiyI&index=3

Or find us on YouTube by searching, IllinoisArts

DEADLINE REMINDER!
Opportunity for Artists/Artist Teams:
CALL TO ARTISTS
The Illinois Arts Council has partnered with the Capital Development Board’s Art-in-Architecture Program (CDB/AIA) to promote an opportunity for Illinois artists.
Illinois Capital Development Board /

The Art-in-Architecture Program of the Capital Development Board is pleased to announce a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to Illinois professional artists to create permanent original public art for the Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) Education Building in Chicago, Illinois.

FINAL DEADLINE: Wednesday, June 17, 2026, 3:00 P.M.
Project Number: 817-010-055

These public art commissions and potential purchases are open to all professional artists, artisans, or artist-led teams that live and work in the state of Illinois.

The Fine Arts Review Committee will review the portfolios of eligible applicants.
At least three artists/teams will be selected as semi-finalists and paid a fee of $4,500 each to develop and present a site specific proposal.
After the proposal presentations, the Committee will select a winning artist/team for the commission.

The budget for the artwork is $375,000.

Email portfolio materials to [email protected] no later than Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at 3:00 P.M. Any portfolio submitted after the deadline will not be considered for this project.

For the Art-in-Architecture Commission Opportunities page: www.cdb.illinois.gov/professionalgrowth/art/commissionopportunities.html

Link to the RFQ Document:https://cdb.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/cdb/professionalgrowth/art/documents/rfq/neiu-ed-bldg-rfq.pdf

For questions, contact the Art-in-Architecture Program at:
[email protected]

Congratulations to IAC Board Chair Nora Daley for being highlighted in NewCity's Design 50 2026: Architecture, for her work in the Chicago Architecture Biennial
Newcity /

"Florencia Rodriguez, Jennifer Armetta and Nora Daley brought distinct perspectives to the most recent Chicago Architecture Biennial—curatorial, strategic and civic—shaping a program that extended well beyond its central exhibitions.
Rodriguez’s curatorial leadership, Armetta’s decades-long work championing artists and expanding access, and Daley’s civic leadership united to position the Biennial as a citywide platform, with anchor sites and projects unfolding across multiple neighborhoods, inviting broader public engagement with architecture and the built environment.
The result is a biennial that felt less contained and more embedded in Chicago itself—attuned to how design intersects with everyday life and the communities it serves." Written by Vasia Rigou

Jennifer Armetta and Nora Daley/Photo: Joseph A. Mietus

The IAC Muse Newsletter Featured Illinois Arts Organization
Illinois Symphony Orchestra - FY26 IAC General Operating Support Recipient

The Illinois Symphony Orchestra (ISO), under the inspiring leadership of Music Director Taichi Fukumura, is the premier professional orchestra of central Illinois—bringing world-class music to life for more than 40,000 patrons across Bloomington-Normal, Springfield, and surrounding communities. With exciting symphony, Pops, and chamber performances; engaging Concerts for Kids; and intimate and immersive chamber experiences including Sips & Sounds, Around the Town, and Beyond the Stage series, the ISO is redefining what a regional orchestra can be.

The ISO’s reach goes far beyond the concert hall. Through transformative education programs like Itsy Arts and Music Matters, the orchestra sparks creativity in pre-K and elementary classrooms, while guest artist residencies and ensemble visits connect with middle schools, high schools, universities, and senior centers—building lifelong relationships with music.

In 2020, the ISO expanded its mission by acquiring the Sangamon Valley Youth Symphony, now the Illinois Symphony Youth Orchestras (ISYO), serving over three hundred young musicians through five progressive ensembles. With strong partnerships through its' PEACE (Partnership in Education and Community Engagement) with UIS-Music and Illinois State University, the ISO is cultivating the next generation of artists, educators, and arts advocates.

"Support from the Illinois Arts Council allows us to deepen our impact—on stage, in classrooms, and across our communities,” said Trevor Orthmann, Executive Director. “It helps us ensure that music remains accessible, relevant, and inspiring for everyone we serve as we fulfill our mission of creating engaging musical experiences for all.”

LEARN MORE: www.ilsymphony.org

Illinois Arts Council Announces Fiscal Year 2027 Creative Projects Grant Guidelines

The Illinois Arts Council (IAC) is pleased to announce the release of the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Creative Projects Grant (CPG) guidelines. The goal of CPG is to provide up to $12,000 to support art projects for Illinois artists, eligible not-for-profit organizations, municipal entities, or colleges and universities. CPG projects must include a public release or presentation of the work accomplished during the grant period.

Applications will be available in IAC’s Salesforce grant portal beginning Wednesday, July 1, 2026.

CPG is an open-deadline grant program. Applications will be accepted until allotted funds have been expended. Each IAC region has its own allocation of funds. Funds will be expended at varying rates, and regions will close to new applications at different times. Please check the IAC website before applying to see if funds are available for your region. Applications must be submitted to the IAC’s Salesforce grant portal a minimum of 8 weeks prior to the start date for the arts project being submitted for IAC funding.

A pre-recorded webinar is available on IAC’s website: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtZy4gxvmcY&list=PLsq28Hp1fKyFtS2LhrzCYnMZUJLCTFiyI&index=4

The IAC will also host a series of “drop-in” sessions to answer any questions you may have. Drop-in sessions are one-hour sessions that have no agenda. Participants may ask questions of the participating Program Staff and get answers in real time. Drop-ins do not require pre-registration. Simply click the link at the time of the meeting to join the call via WebEx.

Visit the Creative Project Grants webpage for details:
www.arts.illinois.gov/granting-opportunities/grants-programs/creative-projects-grant.html

For more information, please contact your Regional Program Director:
www.arts.illinois.gov/about-iac/staff/grant-staff-locator.html