The Rockford Area Arts Council’s mission is simple–to support, promote, and develop access to the arts for everyone. We are the collective voice for individual artists and regional arts organizations—and you!
The Arts Council believes in the transformative power of the arts and its ability to set the tone for a city’s creative and cultural infrastructure. Join us every month, for a regional update on all things music, art, performance, and culture!
May 2020
The Rockford Area Arts Council’s mission is simple–to support, promote, and develop access to the arts for everyone. We are advocates for both individual artists and regional arts organizations—and you!
We believe in the transformative power of the arts and its ability to set the tone for a city’s creative and cultural infrastructure. Join us every month, for a regional update on all things music, art, performance, and culture!
The Rockford Area Arts Council has made the decision to postpone our summer arts programs until 2021. The wonderful work done by our teaching artists and our youth will be truly missed this summer, however we must provide for the safety of all involved. It is with both caution and care that we must announce that we will not host ArtsPlace, ArtsPlace II, and RAAC Camp this year.
We are following the orders and guidelines of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, in addition to the most up-to-date information from the Winnebago County Health Department. Your family’s health and safety is our priority. The Arts Council will continue to plan how to move forward as we are apprised of new information regarding the COVID-19 crisis.
During this uncertain time, the Rockford Area Arts Council wants you to be encouraged—We are stronger together and we look forward to an exciting summer of the arts in 2021. Please follow us on Facebook and our Website for the latest news, art resources, and engagement opportunities.
The Rockford Area Arts Council’s mission is simple–to support, promote, and develop access to the arts for everyone. We are advocates for both individual artists and regional arts organizations—and you!
We believe in the transformative power of the arts and its ability to set the tone for a city’s creative and cultural infrastructure. Join us, twice a month, for a regional update on all things music, art, performance, and culture!
The Rockford Area Arts Council, in partnership with the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Transform Rockford, Alignment Rockford, and the Rockford Public Schools, developed a Youth Short Film Showcase for our elementary, junior high, and high school students!
Young film makers are encouraged to create a short video, not to exceed 3-minutes, focused on an area of study in school. It’s time to get creative, students! These short films should be wildly creative and unique in their approach to everyday school assignments. We encourage youth to let their artistic side shine! Examples include, but are not limited to the following:
The ideas are limitless!
All approved videos will be uploaded to the Rockford Area Arts Council’s YouTube Page and separated into academic themes. Select videos may be shared on partnering agency’s pages. Submissions required by May 15, 2020. Themes or subjects include, but are not limited to the following:
Math—Science—Social Studies—Literature—Visual Art—Foreign Language—Music—Language Arts—Theatre—History—Dance—Physical Education—Speech–???
Rockford Area Arts Council Executive Director, Mary McNamara Bernsten, says “Alone Together is the Arts Council’s response to the COVID crisis; We encourage artistic expression during this time of seclusion and isolation as a way to connect and relate to each other’s experiences. And, kids are so naturally creative—they’re already making videos like this, but maybe now they’ll receive extra credit!”
Submission Process:
Complete the Google form to submit your video. Parent must be present to complete the consent portion of the form. Google Submission Form
Thank you for sharing your creative process with our Rockford community!
The Rockford Area Arts Council, in partnership with the Rockford Public Library and the City of Rockford, is establishing a Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate. In collaboration with the City and the Library, the Arts Council will provide our residents with the opportunity to nominate and apply for this celebrated role in our community.
Nomination guides and online nomination forms:
City of Rockford Poet Laureate Nomination Guide
City of Rockford Poet Laureate Online Nomination Form
City of Rockford Youth Poet Laureate Nomination Guide
City of Rockford Youth Poet Laureate Online Nomination Form
A City Poet Laureate is an honorary position; Poets Laureate promote literacy and literature among residents of all ages. The Arts Council and the Rockford Public Library are developing programming, and complimentary resources, to provide the recipient with opportunities to promote their personal work, host workshops for residents, and appear at important City events. The official honor of Poet Laureate is awarded for a period of two years and is a grant-funded position.
Poet Laureate requirements are the following: poet must be a resident of the City of Rockford area for no less than one year. Poet must be 18 years of age for the Poet Laureate award and between 13-17 for the Youth Laureate award. Poet must have demonstrated previous commitment to poetry and have significant publication history. The Poet Laureate Committee is established with representatives from the Arts Council, City of Rockford, Rockford Public Library, and members of the city’s arts and literary community.
Rockford Area Arts Council Executive Director, Mary McNamara Bernsten, says “A Rockford Poet Laureate is another opportunity for the arts community to celebrate its many faces. Art is a reflection of society and poets have a unique platform; their words are their paintbrush, their instrument, their voice. The Arts Council is delighted to work with the Library and the City in the development of this celebrated role.”
“It’s with the greatest enthusiasm that Rockford Public Library supports this opportunity to celebrate this art form locally. Throughout history, great poets have inspired communities with shared ideas and well-crafted prose. It is with this understanding that we proudly support the Rockford Area Arts Council in choosing a Poet Laureate to represent the City of Rockford.” Lynn Stainbrook, Director, Rockford Public Library.
“Literacy and literature is a vital part of our social fabric and can help make us stronger as a community,” says Mayor Tom McNamara. “I’m excited to help establish both an adult and youth Poet Laureate in Rockford and know they will have a profound impact on all of us.”
“Being Poet Laureate made me realize I was capable of a larger voice. There is a more public utterance I can make as a poet.” –Rita Dove, former Poet Laureate and first African American Poet Laureate
Hello members and friends,
The Rockford Area Arts Council appreciates your patience and understanding during this difficult time. We know artists are coming out of a difficult winter and we want to be a resource for your businesses, galleries, and production of work. The Arts Council’s mission is to support and promote the arts and artists—so you can imagine we were disappointed when we were advised to shut-down Spring ArtScene. We are working hard, on your behalf, to explore alternatives to promote local artists.
The Rockford Area Arts Council is following and supporting guidelines and recommendations made by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Winnebago County Health Department (WCHD) and the City of Rockford, and will continue to do so until this health emergency is effectively addressed. When we receive encouraging, legitimate information that community events can safely resume, the Arts Council will promptly reschedule ArtScene at no cost to the artists/venues. Our rescheduled ArtScene will not include a printed brochure, however, we will provide on-line venue listings/links, access to the downtown trolley, and bolstered advertising on our social media outlets. We will do everything we can to make it a successful event for our artists and local businesses!
In the meantime, we would like to share with you some of the projects the Arts Council will be working on:
Logo and website development
Summer programming, adjustments made accordingly
Artist/member database development
Legislative plans for our community arts organizations to advocate with critical mass
Monthly newsletter
Social media strategy
Poets Laureate for City of Rockford
As artists, we can provide compassion at this time and recognize that everyone is doing their best to navigate the uncharted territory of COVID-19. Please reach out to the Arts Council directly with your questions and concerns.
Most sincerely,
Mary McNamara Bernsten
Executive Director, Rockford Area Arts Council
Email: mary@artsforeveryone.com
The Rockford Area Arts Council is accepting applications for Teaching and Guest Artists:
ArtsPlace Teaching Artists: Apply for eight-week program
ArtsPlace II Teaching Artists: Apply for four-week program
Guest Artists: Apply to teach one or two weeks
ArtsPlace Program Dates:
June 15 – August 7, Mon-Thursdays, 1:00 – 4:30 P.M.
(half hour prep before & after class.)
ArtsPlace II Program Dates:
June 22 – July 17, 2020, Monday – Thursdays, 10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.
(half hour prep before & after class.)
Applications Due:
April 10, 2020
Send to: Rockford Area Arts Council 713 East State Street Rockford, IL. 61104
Email to: info@artsforeveryone.com
We are proud to announce our two finalists from the Regional Poetry Out Loud Competition:
Jefferson High School students Nada Abdulaziz took 1st place and Jada Cox took 2nd place.
State Competition : Monday, March 2, 2020, at 10:00 A.M. at the Hoogland Center for the Arts in Springfield, Il.
A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Poetry Foundation, and the state arts agencies, Poetry Out Loud is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition to high schools across the country. Schools that choose to participate in Poetry Out Loud start the program in the classroom, where participating teachers may use the Poetry Out Loud toolkit to teach poetry recitation and run classroom competitions.
Students select, memorize, and recite poems from an anthology of more than 1,000 classic and contemporary poems. Beginning at the classroom level, winners will advance to the school-wide competition, then to the state competition, and ultimately to the national finals in Washington, DC.
Check out the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9FQRW0QEac
Check out the website: https://www.poetryoutloud.org
Contact us
Poetry Out Loud Regional Coordinator
Kate Kilgore
k.kilgore@artsforeveryone.com