|
Issue 77 / January 16, 2026
|
|
|
In this issue:
• Mama Edie and Justus Pugh Illuminate the Art of Storytelling and Message of MLK
• IAC's Next Creative Learning Grants for Schools Drop-In is Next Thursday, January 22
• Landmarks Illinois Preservation Heritage Fund Grant
• Register Now for Artist Inc Express
• The Power We Hold - A Century of Remembering & Celebrating Black History
• Illinois Artist Spotlight
• Additional Opportunities
|
|
Mama Edie and Justus Pugh Illuminate the Art of Storytelling and Message of MLK
|
|
|
Photo Credit: Rose Blouin
|
|
|
In the heart of Chicago, the storytelling of Mama Edie McLoud Armstrong and Justus Cornelius Pugh shines brightly. Recipients of an FY25 Illinois Arts Council (IAC) Folk Arts Mentorship award, they are celebrated for their innovative fusion of oral tradition, poetry, and multimedia expression. Also a speech pathologist with a distinguished career spanning over 30 years, Mama Edie has transformed storytelling into a tool for empowerment and cultural connection. Her work has taken her across 11 countries, where she has shared the richness of African American history and folklore, leaving audiences inspired and enlightened.
Justus Pugh, under Mama Edie's mentorship, is emerging as a powerful voice in the storytelling community. Anchored in the belief that imagination is a bridge between past and future, Justus explores themes of Black cultural memory and spirituality. Said Justus, "I envision this work extending into future generations, where storytelling remains central to our identity and resilience as a community." His dedication to storytelling was evident in his performance at Chicago's Woodson Regional Libraryon January 10, where he and Mama Edie captivated the audience with A Principled King: BEYOND I Have a Dream. The event was supported on video by storyteller Susan O'Halloran and percussionists Enoch Williamson and Dr. Obari Cartman. It was a multimedia journey through history, enriched by drumming and poetry, celebrating the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and others. Mama Edie expressed her enthusiasm in working with Justus, saying, "He's a hard worker and has an amazing talent as a poet, which has now been expanded to incorporate nuances and various devices of storytelling in the oral tradition. He soaked it up like a sponge!"
Mama Edie will participate in Story Jam'sMLK Day celebration at SPACE, Evanston, on January 19. Mama Edie, a regular at this annual celebration, shared, "Performing with such talented storytellers and musicians is always a profound experience." While this event is at capacity, the influence of their storytelling continues to resonate, promising future opportunities for audiences to engage with their art. Stay connected for updates on upcoming performances and the ongoing journey of these remarkable storytellers.
|
|
|
Landmarks Illinois' Preservation Heritage Fund grants are intended to provide monetary assistance to significant structures or sites in Illinois that are under threat of demolition, in imminent deterioration, in need of stabilization, in need of structural or re-use evaluation, or need to be evaluated for landmark eligibility. The Preservation Heritage Fund was established in 2004. (Photo: Glidden Homestead, Dekalb)
Preservation Heritage Fund grants fund the following project types:
-
Engineering, architectural, and feasibility studies
-
Stabilization
-
Legal services
-
Surveys and National Register Nominations
-
Preservation ordinance support
Follow the link below to learn about grant eligibility, types of projects, size of grants, how to apply and the grant review process.
The application deadline is April 1st.
|
|
|
The Illinois Arts Council is pleased to announce the upcoming Artist INC Express Workshop, taking place in Quincy, IL, on April 25-26, 2026. This free, ten-hour workshop is designed for artists of all disciplines to enhance their creative careers through hands-on activities and peer networking. Participants will engage in discussions and exercises aimed at developing their personal brand, setting career goals, and building a supportive community of fellow artists. Hosted at the Oakley Lindsay Center, this program is a condensed format of the successful Artist INC initiative, which has empowered over 2,000 artists since its inception in 2009. Registration is now open at Mid-America Arts Alliance's website.
The registration deadline is April 23, 2026.
|
|
|
Through a curated art exhibit at Gallery 1701, the Chicago Center for Arts and Technology(CHICAT) seeks to commemorate 100 years of remembering and celebrating Black History. They invite Chicago-area-based African American artists to submit works that reflect the power of Black history and how this power has carried individuals and the community forward, shaped by personal experience, collective memory, and place.
The Power We Holdwill celebrate a century of Black history in Chicago, the city where the movement first took shape. It seeks to honor the enduring strength of Black history and affirm the responsibility-and joy-of carrying this history forward together. Artists can submit their work directly through a dedicated submission form HERE.
The submission deadline has been extended to January 23rd.
|
|
|
Illinois Artist Spotlight
Dianna Frid, FY26 Creative Projects Grant Recipient
|
|
|
Dianna Fridis a distinguished artist whose work explores the realms of books and textiles. Born in Mexico City, Frid immigrated to Canada in 1983 and to the USA in 1999. She has been a professor in the Art Department at the University of Illinois at Chicago since 2006. Her art practice encompasses sculpture, works on paper, and other media, with a focus on asking open-ended questions about time, language, and the transformation of matter. Frid's work reflects her experiences as a bilingual, twice-immigrant artist, and she often collaborates with literary communities and fellow artists.
Diana Frid's upcoming exhibition, "Matter Is the Nectar of Writing," at Illinois State University Galleries, will run from January 12 to March 1, 2026. Curated by Kendra Paitz, the show features new and recent works, including tapestries, artist's books, embroideries, photographs, and mixed-media sculptures. This exhibition marks the U.S. premiere of works created in Mexico and Chicago between 2023 and 2025. It showcases Frid's interest in the interconnectedness of texts and textiles, inspired by "worm-holed" books at the Burgoa Library in Oaxaca. The exhibition will be accompanied by a range of public programs, including workshops, lectures, and tours.
Reflecting on her creative process and support from the Illinois Arts Council, Dianna Frid states, "I am truly grateful for the support I received from the IAC. With this grant, I have been able to cover many studio expenses, hire young artists whom I mentored, and experiment with new processes and materials. Without the ability to experiment, my work would not challenge me in ways that can only enhance the long-term commitments I made to my practice many years ago."
|
|
|
Other Opportunities You May Have Missed
|
|
The Muse, the Illinois Arts Council Newsletter, is published weekly. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the IAC is strictly prohibited. The Muse is distributed free of charge.
Do you have an arts story you think Illinois needs to hear about? We want to hear from you! Submissions should focus on artist/organizational opportunities or on the impact of the arts on communities, the people creating art, or those experiencing art. Share your story with our Director of Communications at [email protected]. The IAC reserves the right to edit or reject any material.
This week's banner features the Freedon Movement March/Martin Luther King Memorial in Marquette Park, Chicago. Photo Credit, DNA Info, Kelly Bauer.
arts.illinois.gov
|
|
|
|
