Seventh Annual Powering the Arts Grant Program
Expands Access to Arts and Culture Across Northern Illinois
In a continued effort to broaden access to arts and culture
across northern Illinois, ComEd and the League of Chicago Theatres
today announced the distribution of more than $200,000 in grants to
18 local arts organizations. Through the Powering the Arts Program,
ComEd will provide individual grants of up to $25,000 to
nonprofits, including local theaters, arts programs, cultural
centers and youth-focused organizations dedicated to enriching
their communities through artistic expression.
Since its inception in 2018, the ComEd Powering the Arts Program
has contributed more than $1 million to creative projects and
workshops, helping foster community engagement, innovation and a
deeper appreciation for the arts. These funds have directly
supported programs across Illinois that strengthen the connection
between art and community, ensuring creative opportunities remain
accessible to all.
“ComEd is proud to help our communities celebrate their unique
stories and cultures through artistic innovation,” said Melissa
Washington, senior vice president of customer operations and
strategic initiatives at ComEd. “By investing in the arts, we
are investing in the vibrancy and diversity of the communities we
serve. Our continued collaboration with the League of Chicago
Theatres ensures this program continues to be a resounding
success.”
Now in its seventh year, the Powering the Arts Program has
supported nearly 100 arts organizations throughout its history.
Each year, ComEd funds the initiative, while the League of Chicago
Theatres – a coalition of over 200 theaters – manages the
application review and award distribution process. This year’s
grant recipients represent a wide array of artistic disciplines,
from children’s art programs and music education to cultural dance
and theater.
“The League of Chicago Theatres is excited to once again partner
with ComEd to provide critical funding that helps sustain and grow
the arts in our communities,” said Marissa Lynn Jones,
executive director at the League of Chicago Theatres. “This
year’s 18 recipients are doing remarkable work to engage and
inspire their communities through art, and we are honored to
support their continued efforts.”
Additional information on the ComEd Powering the Arts Program
can be found here.
The 18 recipients and their funded projects of the 2024 ComEd
Powering the Arts Program are:
Metropolis Performing Arts Centre (Arlington Heights, IL)
will launch “Arts for All: Open Captioning,” offering four to five
mainstage performances with live captioning for audiences with
hearing impairments. This initiative is part of a broader effort to
make the arts more accessible to all visitors. The captioning will
provide equal access to performances, ensuring that everyone can
enjoy the experience.
Batavia Foundation for Educational Excellence (Batavia,
IL) will launch "ARTS in Ed" to make artistic experiences
accessible to school-aged children and their families, regardless
of their background or abilities. This initiative will host events
that foster creativity, appreciation and community engagement. It
also aims to nurture a lifelong love of the arts in students and
families.
Barrington Dance Ensemble (Barrington, IL) will provide
free tickets to their performances, such as “The Nutcracker”, to
area seniors and children, particularly those with disabilities.
The project will offer seniors and children access to meaningful
art experiences, creating joyful memories through the power of
dance. Future plans include on-site performances and virtual
engagement to maintain connections with the community.
Berwyn Public Art Initiative (Berwyn, IL) will honor the
Latino heritage of Berwyn’s community, which makes up over 65% of
the population, through a public art initiative. "Arte y Cultura"
will engage residents in mural workshops and host a cultural event
celebrating the rich traditions of the Latinx/o/e community. This
project will amplify the voices of Berwyn’s Latinx/o/e residents
while fostering community connections.
Blue Island Citizens for Persons with Intellectual
Disabilities, Inc. (Blue Island, IL) will partner with the Blue
Island Arts Alliance to host three community sketch events for 50
adults with intellectual disabilities. Participants will create art
under the guidance of professional instructors, which will later be
showcased at a gallery event. This initiative will help boost
self-esteem and showcase the creativity of individuals with
intellectual disabilities in the community.
Chicago Dance Crash (Chicago - Avondale) will bring its
Street Dance Community Outreach Initiative program to schools and
community centers on Chicago’s West and South sides. The program
will educate residents on hip-hop culture and breakdance
fundamentals, with a focus on communities facing barriers to arts
access. The program will engage K-12 students and adult Special
Olympics participants through dynamic performances and interactive
workshops.
Elastic Arts Foundation (Chicago - Avondale) will support
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) artists through its
“Dark Matter Residency” and public performances in Chicago’s West
and South side communities. The residency will challenge racial
hierarchies through community-driven art, while performances will
reconnect disinvested neighborhoods with live arts programming. New
partnerships will deepen ties to West Side anti-violence and
wellness initiatives.
Full Spectrum Features (Chicago - Lakeview) will support
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), women and LGBTQIA+
(Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual)
filmmakers through the Chicago premiere of “Our Right to Gaze:
Black Film Identities,” a touring anthology of short films by
emerging Black artists. The project will dismantle barriers to
access by compensating filmmakers and offering free admission to
audiences. This initiative will amplify underrepresented voices in
cinema and foster a dialogue around social issues.
Sharing Notes (Chicago - Lakeview) will expand its live,
in-person music performance programming for hospital patients at La
Rabida Children’s Hospital, Ascension St. Joseph’s Hospital,
Northwestern Medicine’s Memorial/Lurie Cancer Center and Plymouth
Place Senior Living Community. This grant will enable them to
double the number of patients served at these locations, providing
music to nearly 1,800 patients, staff and families.
Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Chicago - Lincoln Park) will
fully subsidize student matinee tickets, ensuring schools most in
need of arts programming can access its shows despite potential
budget cuts. This will help Steppenwolf reach new school partners
and maintain existing relationships in the upcoming school
year.
Goodman Theatre (Chicago - Loop) will expand its
GeNarrations program, a free, seven-week storytelling initiative
for older adults, allowing participants to create personal
narratives based on prompts from the theater’s productions. The
program will combat isolation by fostering a sense of community and
personal growth. Participants will have the opportunity to perform
their stories, contributing to a vibrant, citywide celebration of
older adults’ voices.
The Firehouse Dream, Inc. (Chicago - Maywood) will host
18 art healing experiences and workshops for area youth and their
families. These programs will be co-created with the youth to
ensure their voices and needs are central to the events.
Free Street Theater (Chicago - North Lawndale) will
continue its mission of uplifting joy, justice and the voices of
marginalized communities through its artist-in-residence program,
“In/House.” The program will support theater artists, particularly
from Black, Brown, Queer, and Immigrant communities, in creating
innovative and community-engaged work. This initiative will provide
a space for unconventional theater projects to thrive and be shared
with Chicago audiences.
Theatre Y (Chicago - North Lawndale) will support their
“Voices of Lawndale: Theatre Y Youth Ensemble” initiative,
amplifying the voices of youth in Chicago’s North Lawndale
neighborhood through immersive arts education. The program will
culminate in public performances and exhibitions to engage and
celebrate the local community.
Crossing Borders Music (Chicago – Rogers Park) will bring
culturally responsive string quartet programs, "Stories and Music
of Resilience" and "Celebrating Black Trailblazers," to 6,400
students in Chicago Public Schools. This initiative will address
barriers to arts programming in low-income communities, providing
meaningful musical experiences for students. With this support, the
program will enrich education for students without access to school
music programs.
Chicago Sinfonietta (Chicago and Naperville, IL) will
present its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Tribute Concert,
supported by community outreach to youth, seniors, and diverse
working professionals. The 2025 performance, titled “Black Being,”
will feature an ambitious multimedia program in Chicago and
Naperville that is expected to draw over 2,200 attendees. The
concert is designed to foster a sense of belonging and engagement
among its diverse audience.
Oil Lamp Theater (Glenview, IL) will partner with North
Shore Senior Center to break down barriers to arts access by
offering its "On the Road: Reignited" live theater program to
seniors. The partnership aims to create meaningful connections
through the shared experience of live theater performances.
Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago - KPAC (Skokie,
IL) will present a community concert in June 2025, showcasing
traditional Korean performing arts at the North Shore Center for
Performing Arts in Skokie. The event will feature both professional
artists and local community members, highlighting the relevance and
vitality of Korean cultural heritage. This concert will celebrate
KPAC’s ongoing work to preserve and promote Korean traditional
music.
ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ:
EXC), a Fortune 200 energy company with approximately 10 million
electricity and natural gas customers – the largest number of
customers in the U.S. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million
customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's
population. For more information visit ComEd.com, and connect with
the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.
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