2026 3Arts / Artspace Southern Illinois Award in Visual Arts
Luca Cruzat
A remarkable artistic voice, transforming memory and lived experience into quietly powerful works of art.
Murphysboro, Illinois
Artspace Southern Illinois is proud to announce that printmaker Luca Cruzat has received the 2026 3Arts / Artspace Southern Illinois Award in Visual Arts, an unrestricted $30,000 award that recognizes her artistic achievement and supports her continued creative work.
“It’s so important for artists to know about the partnership between 3Arts and Artspace Southern Illinois. This recognition means so much to me.”
—Luca Cruzat
Working from her Murphysboro studio, Luca creates art that explores memory, identity, and the human experience. She specializes in collagraphy, a printmaking process that builds images from textured surfaces, and extends her practice into installations and three-dimensional work. Her distinctive use of simplified forms, restrained color, and materials such as garments gives personal stories a powerful visual presence. She also leaves room for viewers to bring their own interpretations: “There is a white space surrounding … so the viewer will have room to wonder.”
Luca’s work draws on her life in Chile and Southern Illinois, connecting experiences across places and generations. “Growth is something that I’m very curious about,” she says—a curiosity that extends from the natural world to the ways people change and imagine their futures. She earned her Master of Fine Arts at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2006 and has contributed to the region’s creative community through exhibitions and her involvement with Murphysboro’s Oak Street Art collective.
We were honored to celebrate Luca alongside her fellow awardees at the 3Arts Awards Celebration at Chicago’s Harris Theater on Monday, October 26. Seeing a Southern Illinois artist recognized on this stage was a proud moment for Artspace, and for the region we serve.
The award offers Luca the freedom to direct its support where it matters most in her life and artistic practice. It also affirms something we see throughout Southern Illinois: artists whose work deserves recognition and meaningful investment.
In March 2027 (details forthcoming), Artspace Southern Illinois will host a reception celebrating Luca with her family, friends, fellow artists, and the public. We look forward to bringing this celebration home and will share the date and details as plans are finalized.
Congratulations, Luca. We are proud to celebrate your work and this well-deserved recognition.
Learn more about Luca and explore her work on the 3Arts website.
Aunt Marie, 2020: Collagraph and color pencils (Image provided by the artist)
Killed in Action, 2010: Collagraph (Image provided by the artist)
Deadalus Wings, 2023: Woodcut on paper, bamboo, and threads (Image provided by the artist)
About the Partnership
Now in its second year, the partnership between 3Arts and Artspace Southern Illinois has awarded three $30,000 grants to Southern Illinois creatives.
This urban/rural partnership connects Chicago and Southern Illinois, expanding recognition, resources, and opportunities for artists whose work enriches our region. Thank you, 3Arts, for your vision and commitment to creatives.
Your Gift Supports Creatives Like This
Thanks for reading and for supporting the artists and creatives who help shape and expand the cultural arts in our region. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on donations from people like you to keep supporting regional artists. If you’d like to help us do even more, your donation of any size truly makes a difference.