Artists and  organizations or schools partnering with artists are invited to apply for Arts Dollar$. Applicants can be awarded up to $2,000 to help fund art projects and programs that emphasize community involvement. All art forms are eligible. Arts Dollar$ is made possible by support from the Illinois Arts Council, Doris and Victor Day Foundation, and Deere & Company.

Application & Deadlines

The next granting cycle application will be due January 31, 2014. Check back for further news about the 2013 Award Recipients.

2013 Award Recipients

Quad City Arts is pleased to announce the regranting of more than $25,000 to 15 outstanding community arts projects:

The Arc of the Quad Cities Area, Maureen Dickinson, Music Therapy
The Arc provides music therapy for approximately 70 individuals with developmental disabilities. The project partners with a Certified Music Therapist, volunteer co-directors, an accompanist, and a drum line choreographer.

Ballet Quad Cities, Joedy Cook, “Dance With the Stars” at Ballet Under the Stars
16 students from Frances Willard Elementary School are provided the opportunity to "dance with the stars" during Ballet Quad Cities' 3 performances of Ballet Under the Stars at Rock Island's Lincoln Park in June 2013. The program includes educational activities for all 2nd and 3rd graders at Frances Willard.

Dorian Byrd, Dancing With Anansi
Anansi spider stories promoting character-building skills will be told by storyteller and dance artist Dorian Byrd with assistants. Audience participation with dance, vocalization, and percussion instruments are included. Performances will take place at community sites throughout the Quad Cities.

Davenport Chordbuster Barbershop Chorus, Amos Glanz, Youth in Harmony Outreach
Youth in Harmony Outreach: Using an established barbershop quartet, A Touch of Fun, a monthly high school visitation program will demonstrate the unique sound and characteristics of acappella, barbershop-style singing.

Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre Co, Monica Leo, Neighborhood Puppet Tour
Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre will implement a summer “Neighborhood Tour” including a show and workshops available at minimal or no cost to youth groups and groups in low income neighborhoods.

Figge Art Museum, Stephen Mohr, Project GreenSpace - Street Art on the Plaza
A free public event on the museum plaza will engage new visitors. It will involve street artists demonstrating styles, techniques, and facilitating participation from the audience. The finished product will be displayed at the Figge following the workshop.

Longfellow Liberal Arts, Vicki Peterson, Drawing to Enhance Learning
Elementary students, k-6 will receive a series of drawing lessons by individual, local artists, instructing them in elements of drawing.

McKinley School, Connie Bracey, artsBASICS: Making Connections
Dorian Byrd will pair choreography with Beatrice's Goat, a story from the language arts curriculum. Dorian will provide creative movement professional development for teachers, dance instruction and interactive choreography with students, and a performance.

MidCoast Fine Arts, Pamela Crouch, Tri-cities visual arts galleries
This project includes exhibits of local and regional artists at the three MidCoast Fine Arts galleries in the Quad Cities – Centre Station in Moline, Gallery West in Rock Island, and Bucktown in Davenport.

Quad City Botanical Center, Ellen Loechner, Escape to Nature
An outdoor, nature-themed mural (approximately 40' long by 12' high) will be designed and painted by Augustana art students and Dr. Peter Xiao.

Rock Island Center for Math and Science, Dr. Ruth Ann Tobey Brown, More Than Meets the Eye: Exploring Mayan and African Mask Making Traditions
Students will explore the traditions of African and Mayan cultures through dancing and mask making with professional artists as instructors.

Joel Ryser, The Glass Experience
The project is designed to expose at-risk youth to glassblowing by offering scholarships to qualified students to take a class. Team-building activities and communication skills will be emphasized.

Scott Community College Foundation, Lysa Hegland, Heavy Metal Art
SCC Welding instructor, Roy VenHorst, will create two outdoor sculptures to be designed and sculpted with SCC students. The sculptures will be placed in the large outdoor seating area outside the newly renovated Career & Technical Education building.

Silvis Public Library, Laura Long, Children's Mural
This project will provide a creative, educational opportunity to local at-risk youth involved at the library to produce a mural for the children’s department. Stipends will be provided to the youth for their work.

The Friends of Vander Veer, Natasha Sottos, Candyland at Vander Veer
Vander Veer Botanical Park will feature Candyland during summer, 2013. This theme incorporates elements of this famous board game to provide culture and horticulture education to thousands of Park guests.