ALTON - The Sierra Club Illinois’ Three Rivers Project, Alton Main Street, and Jacoby Arts Center are calling for proposals for artist grants for the 20th annual Mississippi Earthtones Festival. The festival, which will be held from 12:00 to 10:00 PM on Saturday, September 19, 2026, brings together thousands of community members in celebration of the Mississippi River through art, music, and conservation. Local artists are invited to submit proposals via this form by Friday, August 21 to fill the festival grounds with beauty and creativity while enhancing the festival for visitors through interactive art experiences.
The Mississippi Earthtones Festival is held annually as part of the state of Illinois’ “It’s Our River Day”, an initiative to celebrate Illinois watersheds through education, recreation, and conservation. This year, the festival’s theme is Rooted in Rhythm!. Local artists of all types are invited to submit a proposal via this submission form by August 21 for the chance to receive a $400 grant to build an art installation on the festival’s grounds. Street artists, textile artists, fashion designers, and makers of products from upcycled and natural materials are especially encouraged to apply. More information about the Mississippi Earthtones Festival can be found at www.facebook.com/EarthtonesFestival.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
“The Mississippi Earthtones Festival was founded on the principles of conservation and community. We hope that this year, artists will expand the theme from 'Rooted in Rhythm' to 'Rooted in the River, the Arts, the Community, and All of Nature,'” said Christine Favilla, Three Rivers Project Coordinator for the Illinois Sierra Club. “This evolution beautifully aligns with our mission to conserve and protect the environment while celebrating our amazing outdoors. I’m excited to see how artists interpret this connection and express what it means to feel truly rooted.”
About Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the most enduring and influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. We amplify the power of our millions of members and supporters to defend everyone’s right to a healthy world. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. To learn more, visit www.sierraclub.org/illinois.
About Alton Main Street
Alton Main Street is a community based, not-for-profit, volunteer-led organization dedicated to securing the economic vitality and aesthetic quality of the historic downtown district. Since 1994, Alton Main Street has led volunteer efforts to transform Alton’s Downtown district into a thriving commercial and residential center through education, historic preservation, and coordination of social, economic, and beautification activities. To learn more, visit www.DowntownAlton.com.
About Jacoby Arts Center
Jacoby Arts Center is a 501c3 that nurtures and promotes the practice and appreciation of the arts
through Education, Exhibitions, Cultural Programming, and Outreach Initiatives. To learn more, please visit www.jacobyartscenter.org/
