Editor's Note: January marks a new phase in our journalism. Due to the merger between WUIS and Illinois Issues, we now have a number of journalists that enable reporting on a beat model. A beat allows a reporter to learn events and people more thoroughly than general assignment reporting. Each reporter is focusing on key issues in the state. We're calling it the "Illinois Issues Initiative."
THE SCENE ARTS AND CULTURE Rachel Otwell
I was never particularly good at sports, and while I was always a decent writer and voracious reader, scholastics weren’t my niche either. Arts were always my thing. As a toddler, I would perform songs from the hearth of our family’s fireplace as though it was a stage. In school, I was active in choir, band, art classes and plays. I took part in community theater and acting camps. My parents fostered in me an appreciation for art in all its forms. They would take us to street festivals where we’d dance to Zydeco music, a dynamic blend of blues and R&B from the south. Other weekends we’d take in bluegrass or roam art fairs. We were expected to entertain ourselves with reading and drawing more so than television or video games.
I was lucky that growing up in the Springfield area meant there were plenty of art-related events and festivals to attend. I was also lucky I went to a school that offered quality arts programming. Art is about much more than a painting hanging up on a wall — untouchable and sometimes unrelatable. For me and many others, it’s a lifestyle. And the great part is that you don’t have to be an artist, musician or actor to take part — simply being curious is a great place to start.
Illinois is a diverse state when it comes to the arts. Chicago is well known for its contributions to a variety of genres and movements, from jazz to hip hop; from public art to some of the best art museums and schools in the nation; and from sketch comedy to Broadway hits. But even in a smaller community like Springfield, the arts are alive and well. Many have commented on what seems to be an artistic renaissance in the capital city over the past few years, propelled by the emergence of an artist co-op, The Pharmacy, independently run by artists who share studio space and present free shows to the public that display a variety of artwork and often incorporate local musicians.
While arts funding from the government is essential for assisting schools and community groups, I have seen firsthand that the arts will exist regardless of grants. Groups like The Pharmacy show that, with enough passion and grit, artists will come together and move forward with their own contributions. And there will continue to be parents raising kids like I was, eager and encouraged to get involved in a wide variety of arts.
I am eager as an arts and culture reporter to take a look not only at the well-established groups and productions, but at the stories that go untold or underappreciated. This beat is about communities coming together to celebrate beauty and to share messages through art in all its forms. And it’s not just about artists, but also the appreciators, the supporters, the dabblers and those who want to learn more. I look forward to providing you with these stories, and I hope to hear about what art inspires you, too.
