History

The Lawrence County Arts Council (LCAC) is a not-for-profit organization that began in December of 2001 and was organized by Lawrence County citizens interested in providing cultural experiences for residents of the county of all ages.  Being a rural community, opportunities for cultural enrichment are limited, especially for the youth of the county.

Residents interested in promoting the arts in Lawrence County met in December of 2001 to begin exploring how to start an arts council.  Information was obtained from the Illinois State Arts Council, as well as information from the Arts Council in Olney, Illinois, which had been in existence for over 20 years.  A Board of Directors and officers were elected in January of 2002, and by-laws were written and approved in April 2002.  Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Illinois Secretary of State.  The LCAC received its tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) corporation from the IRS in July 2002.  

The LCAC held its first organized function, Spring Fling 2002, on June 7, 2002.  Since that time, the LCAC has established a schedule of a Spring Musical (presented in March/April and for ages 14 and up), a Student Art Show (for county high school students), a Children’s Theatre Workshop (held in June for children/youth entering the 3rd through 9th grades),  and a Fall Production (held in October/November for ages 18 and up).  In addition, the LCAC hopes to expand its offerings of opportunities for local artists with a planned adult photography show in the late summer of 2023.

The mission of the Lawrence County Arts Council is to promote and provide artistic and creative experiences for the residents of Lawrence County and its surrounding areas. The LCAC’s vision is to serve the community by promoting and offering culturally based experiences in the performance and fine arts that inspire the community at large. The Council’s goals focus on providing opportunities to those who are unable to travel outside of the rural area that is the location of Lawrence County, as well as providing experiences to the children and youth of this county.