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Throughout Illinois, arts organizations
of all kinds, as well as schools, park districts, libraries,
museums, historic sites, Interstate Tourist Information Centers and
more will be presenting activities all week long.
"The broad cross section of arts forms,
organizations and artists that have contributed to the celebration
this year speaks to the incredible diversity of the arts in our
state," said Illinois Arts Council Chairman Shirley R. Madigan.
"People of all ages and abilities are invited to participate in Arts
Week as artists, as spectators and everything in between. Many
participants are professional artists, and others are learning about
the arts.
"During Illinois Arts Week there is
truly an arts experience for everyone. As an expression of who we
are and the culture we live in, the Illinois Arts Week theme ‘The
arts are all around us' is a reminder that the arts reach each of us
in some way every day. Arts Week helps to heighten our awareness of
the intrinsic role the arts play in our lives."
The Illinois Arts Council has prepared
a calendar of arts activities and events that will take place
throughout the state during Illinois Arts Week. The listing is
available as a
brochure and is posted on the Web. The council encourages all
Illinois citizens to visit
www.state.il.us/agency/iac to locate activities they
might be interested in.
Additionally, "Ways to Celebrate," a
list or activities and events ideas for use by schools, communities,
arts organizations and individuals, is available online [Page
5 of PDF file]. [To download the Adobe Acrobat
reader for the PDF file, click here.]
This year the calendar of arts events
is presented by region so travelers can take in a variety of
activities as they visit different parts of the state. From north to
south, east to west, the state will be alive with the arts.
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For the fourth year in a row, Illinois'
Interstate Tourist Information Centers will host a variety of arts
activities and events throughout Arts Week.
"We are proud to support Illinois'
thriving arts community and the annual Arts Week," said Jan Kostner,
deputy director of the Illinois Bureau of Tourism. "Illinois
artisans and their work continue to be of great interest to
travelers to and within the state, and we are glad to showcase their
talents at our Tourism Information Centers."
Individuals interested in obtaining
information about scheduled activities may contact Jason Bain at
Western Illinois Tourism Development, (877) 477-7007.
To increase general awareness of the
celebration, one of Illinois Arts Week's longtime supporters, Jewel
Food Stores, will have the Illinois Arts Week logo on grocery bags
distributed in Illinois' Jewel-Osco stores.
To receive a list of "Ways to Celebrate
Illinois Arts Week" and a copy of the
Illinois Arts Week proclamation, contact the Illinois Arts
Council by calling (312) 814-6750 or (800) 237-6994 toll-free in
Illinois or (312) 814-4831 TTY (telephone text for individuals who
are deaf or who have hearing or voice impairments). The Illinois
Arts Council can also be reached at info@arts.state.il.us
via e-mail.
The
Illinois Arts Council
is committed to the cultural, educational and economic growth of the
diverse people and communities of our state through support and
encouragement of artists and the arts.
[Illinois
Arts Council news release] |
