A Year of Grit, Growth, and Gratitude at Artspace Southern Illinois
Dear friends, donors, partners, volunteers, artists, and champions of Artspace Southern Illinois, Thank you.
Thank you for believing in the power of the arts. Thank you for showing up, giving generously, volunteering your time, bringing your families, telling your friends, and standing with us as Artspace Southern Illinois continues to grow into something bold, beautiful, and deeply needed in our region.
As I reflect on this past year, I am reminded how fortunate I am to have led this wonderful organization for the past six years. It has been one of the great honors of my life. I get to work alongside a dedicated staff, strong board, talented volunteers, generous donors, visionary artists, and community partners who understand that the arts are not extra. They are essential.
This past year has been one of both accomplishments and challenges. And if I may say so, Artspace Southern Illinois met the moment with creativity, grit, and a whole lot of heart.
We increased programming by 35 percent, embracing the humanities in new ways and continuing our evolution into a true cultural arts complex. We opened our retail space and second gallery, Artspace Southern Illinois — On the Strip Gallery & Shop, right in the heart of downtown Carbondale, IL. We mounted a robust exhibition season that reached every corner of our region and extended beyond the state's boundaries. And we honored two artists with $35,000 each to invest in their talents and their dreams with the 3Arts/Artspace Southern Illinois Award
We did all of this with a smaller budget, fewer staff, and somehow even more talent, tenacity, and imagination. Guest curators, artists, volunteers, and community members joined us not just as participants, but as co-creators. Together, we built programs, sparked conversations, opened doors, and made room for more people to experience the arts.
And our reach grew in exciting new ways. More people connected with us on their phones, through our new website, and through our cultural arts grants with our Southern Arts Fund, which brought public art experiences to people of all ages across 13 counties.
Because of your support, especially through our year-end and Rising Star campaigns, we are closing this fiscal year in the black. That is no small thing. It is a testament to what happens when a community decides that creativity, access, and cultural life matter.
Most importantly, more than 20,000 individuals, families, and children from all walks of life were touched by Artspace Southern Illinois this year, many at no cost or very low cost. That is the heartbeat of our mission. That is why we do this work.
And we are just getting started — The Year Ahead
As we look forward, the year ahead is filled with new and exciting programs for the discerning, the curious, the creative, the adventurous, and anyone who believes that Southern Illinois deserves vibrant cultural experiences close to home.
At Artspace Southern Illinois, we welcome you, we’re here to surprise and inspire you, as we continue to build this extraordinary arts community together.
I encourage you to stay connected
See what’s happening on our Events & Exhibits Calendar and join our email list on our homepage. Plus, learn about ways you can support our efforts and the cultural arts in our region.
With warm regards and deep gratitude,
Chuck Benya, EdD, MPP, EMBA
CEO, Artspace Southern Illinois