The Commission meets the 1st Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m.
The functions of this Commission include the following:
The cultural arts commission shall:
(1) Make recommendations to the city council for the provision of an environment in which the cultural arts will flourish within the corporate limits of the city;
(2) Foster educational opportunities and enhance the quality of life for all of the residents of West Chicago by making recommendations to develop arts and cultural programs directed at various age, ethnic, and religious groups;
(3) Enhance the economic base in West Chicago by promoting opportunities to combine areas and economic development;
(4) Cooperate with the professional city staff to administer all commission programs and activities;
(5) Support and foster strong bonds between and among all arts organizations in the community and encourage new arts organizations in a manner which will make the whole considerably stronger than the individual parts, which shall include working cooperatively with other city commissions, and other public and private agencies;
(6) Apply for grants to support commission programs and administer and serve as a vehicle for "regrants" under the rules of the Illinois Arts Council and other agencies;
(7) Provide a vehicle for publicizing all arts-related events of various organizations as well as community, state or national events related to the arts, and provide a strong public relations program for communicating the commission's goals and their impact on community life; and
(8) Act as a resource center and clearing house for information and provide technical assistance to community arts organizations to enable them to improve the effectiveness of grant writing, planning, audience development, identification of sources for funds, and assistance in connection with legal, tax, insurance and liability issues related to arts programs and arts organizations.
View a video of Commission Member Buddy Plumlee on his experience with the arts in West Chicago.
Commission Members Gene (Buddy) Plumlee (Vice Chairman), Anni Holm, Uwe Gsedl, Heidi Kuharich (Chair), Deborah Walsh, Judith Horsley, Maria Paulina Garcia and Lewis Achenbach (ex-officio).
View the Cultural Arts Commission's Agendas and Meeting Minutes.