In partnership with Arts Alliance Illinois, the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois and The Kjellstrom Family Foundation announce $60,000 in grants made to four local arts organizations to offset lost revenue due to COVID-19.

These grants are part of the most recent round of funding via the Arts for Illinois Relief Fund, a statewide effort administered by Arts Alliance Illinois and established by the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois, and the broader philanthropic community. CFNIL was approached by Arts Alliance to activate a 1:2 matching grant opportunity, up to $20,000. CFNIL and Kjellstrom Family Foundation jointly contributed $40,000 to reach the full match, resulting in $60,000 available to grant to arts organizations in northern Illinois.

Four organizations were awarded grants to help offset lost revenue from closures and cancellations due to COVID-19. The organizations are as follows:

• Midway Village Museum: $20,000
• Rockford Symphony Orchestra: $20,000
• Rockford Area Arts Council: $10,000
• Rockford Art Museum: $10,000

“The COVID-19 pandemic has placed unprecedented strain on our arts and cultural community,” said Dan Ross, CFNIL President. “While organizations have shown incredible resilience and creativity in spite of closures, cancellations, and reduced capacity, the losses faced by this sector are immense. We are very grateful to the Arts Alliance for their match and to The Kjellstrom Family Foundation for joining us in support of our local arts community.”

Since its launch on April 1, 2020, the Arts for Illinois Relief Fund has awarded $5,088,000 to 1,460 artists and 233 organizations around the state. Learn more about this fund at https://artsforillinois.org/donate-and-apply. In the same time period, CFNIL has worked individually and collectively with other community funders to activate and grant over $1M to nonprofit organizations, families, and individuals in northern Illinois. Learn more about CFNIL’s COVID-19 related efforts at https://cfnil.org/covid.

About the Kjellstrom Family Foundation: The Kjellstrom Family Foundation was established in 2013 by Janet Kjellstrom to address community needs with fields of interest including youth organizations and programs, performing and visual arts and museums. Since Janet’s death in 2017, the Foundation’s trustees have continued to distribute yearly grants to nonprofits in the Rockford area which align with Janet’s legacy.

About Arts Alliance Illinois: Arts Alliance Illinois fights for arts resources and policies that benefit their members and all Illinois residents. With 25,000 active subscribers and hundreds of members, they connect the people and ideas that are shaping the future of the creative sector. As the only statewide, multidisciplinary organization concentrated on the strength of arts and culture, the Alliance takes on challenges that no single organization or artist can face alone. Their work in civic engagement, arts education, and cultural equity positively impacts every community across the state. Learn more at artsalliance.org