Two Rivers Arts Council

09/24/2026

Are you ready for some family fun at the Schuyler Street Stroll? Oquawka, a quaint Henderson County village alongside the Mississippi River, is the place to be for the annual festival, to be held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, September 26.

Two Rivers Arts Council (TRAC), a regional arts organization, will be adding art-related activities for kids of all ages. Zero technology needed! Explore old-time fun with paper dolls. Make an original fidget toy with a button and string. Practice making animal hand shadows. Commemorate the USA’s 250th by creating and matting a hand-drawn picture!

And browse our kid-friendly “mini-museum” to guess the purpose of items that were once standard in every household. Touching is encouraged!

All the activities are based on memoirs submitted by Henderson County senior citizens during 21 years of story contests for TRAC's Tales From Two Rivers books.

This event is made possible with support by Galesburg Community Foundation Turn Out Grant, with help from the Twomey Foundation and Cavin’s Family Foundation. This is the first of three programs inspired by the Turn Out Grant. TRAC activities are also partially supported by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. Thank you for welcoming us, Village Of Oquawka and Oquawka Parks and Tourism!

We look forward to fun with history, the arts - and you!

09/17/2026

We are proud of the success of the Gazebo Art Festival Macomb, our first Regional Arts Partner grant program of the new cycle. Support from the Illinois Arts Council helped make it possible!

We extend our heARTfelt gratitude to our 2026 Gazebo Art Festival Sponsors!

With support from donors like Macomb Park District, Blick Art Materials, Two Rivers Arts Council, Illinois Arts Council, IPI Wealth Management, and YOU, we were able to award 8 artists for their artistic excellence, boost artist recognition through marketing, support emerging artists, and develop our efforts in growing the local art scene!

Please consider joining our efforts by donating at
http://prairiehillsrcd.org/gazebo-art-festival.html?fbclid=IwRlRTSAUWeDFwZG9mAWZkaWQWUOcERxKLh_5HEiUolD_I0vyiYMi9LWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR4KFMF-z6HBAcZmp1E-LBaKuUwOzdLOG1C2Le6L9tOqFSrOqS_5cksRTsxihQ_aem_1OumnpncHDJvVFdzsvXDYw

Each donation goes toward future awards for artists, event attractions, and emerging artist resources like tents, tables, and workshops.

09/13/2026

We look forward to working with Henderson County people and making some exciting art programs happen! We will be starting with family friendly hands on arts activities at the upcoming Schuyler Street Stroll in Oquawka.

The Turnout Awards Grants to 46 Local Nonprofits Galesburg, IL., (September 8, 2026): 46 nonprofit organizations across Knox, Warren, and Henderson counties have been awarded grants through Galesburg Community Foundation’s 2026 Turnout Annual Grant Cycle. The grants will support projects and p...

09/03/2026

Tie the season! Artists, please apply!

08/19/2026

Freedom Therapy Trio--Adam Larison, Richard Gilman-Opalsky, and Brian Stark--spent the last few days here working on their Artist-in-Residence project.

Their nature inspired-improvisation pieces will debut this Sunday, August 23, at the Projects Unveiled event at the field station, 11316 N. Prairie Road, Lewistown. The event is free and open to the public.

The AIR is funded by the Visionary Giving Circle and partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and local funds from the Two Rivers Arts Council.

08/04/2026

07/13/2026

Can we brag a bit?

Two Rivers Arts Council (TRAC) didn't just get one grant. We were awarded an Illinois Arts Council (IAC) Operating Grant, which helps us do our outreach to each our 13 counties: Brown, Calhoun, Cass, Fulton, Greene, Hancock, Henderson, Jersey, Mason, McDonough, Pike, Schuyler, and Scott!

We also received a Regional Arts Partner grant! TRAC added local funds. The IAC and TRAC worked together to sprinkle $16,000 throughout our region.

THIRTY-TWO artists, arts organizations, and institutions have been energized with arts funds!

Congratulations to Brown County's Arts Alliance. Calhoun County recipients were the Calhoun Entertainment Company Community Theater and Center for American Archeology. Cass County grant recipients were the Beardstown Park District and Beardstown's Grand Opera House Historic Preservation.

Fulton County grantees included the Fulton County Playhouse, Spoon River College Community Chorus, Spoon River Partnership for Economic Development, Canton Art on Main, Lewistown Historic Preservation Society, Canton Community Concerts, and the UIS Therkildsen Station at Emiqon.

The White Hall Adhoc Park Board in Greene County received a grant. A Hancock County first time grantee was the Hancock County Extension Office. Henderson County recipients were the Henderson County Public Library and the Henderson County Historical Society, both receiving their first RAP grants. Jersey County Arts Council also received its first TRAC funding.

Mason County recipients were the Mason County Arts Council and the Havana Museum and Cultural Center.

McDonough County grantees included the musician Chris Vallillo, Gazebo Art Festival Macomb, Macomb Arts Center, McDonough Choral Society and Western Illinois Museum. The Western Illinois Political Science Foundation also received their first RAP grant.

Pike County grant recipients were the Pike County Art Guild, and the Pike County Community Arts Center.

Schuyler County grantees included The HUB Arts and Cultural Center, Schuyler Performing Arts Council, Pandora's Playhouse Rushville, and the Farwell House.

The Scott County recipient was the county-owned Not for Profit facility, the Scott County Nursing Center. The facility received their first RAP grant.

We kicked this cycle off with the Gazebo Art Festival in Sept. of 2025 and will wrap up with a day of art with the Lewistown Historical Preservation Society in August of 26.

What a privilege to witness the creative energy by these grantees! What a privilege to work with the Illinois Arts Council!

06/24/2026

Introducing Art Lights: Exploring Alternative Photography Techniques

What if you could make a camera from recycled materials? Transfer photographs onto unexpected surfaces? Create beautiful blueprints using nothing but sunlight?

The Brown County Arts Alliance invites you to explore the creative side of photography through Art Lights, a free, three-part workshop series focused on alternative photographic processes. Each session offers a hands-on introduction to a unique technique, blending art, science, and experimentation.

All workshops are free and open to teens and adults ages 14 and older. No experience required.

📍 The Vault Community Center
Versailles, Illinois
⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM

Art Lights is a chance to experiment, learn something new, and see photography in a whole different light.

Sponsored by the Brown County Arts Alliance through a grant from the Two Rivers Arts Council and the Illinois Arts Council.

06/22/2026

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]