Our Daily Show Interview! Jacoby Arts Center: A Lot To Look Forward to in 2025!
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ALTON - Jacoby Arts Center had a busy year, but they’re gearing up for an even better 2025.
Executive Director Rachel Lappin and Operations Manager Chantel Morrigan stopped by “Our Daily Show!” with C.J. Nasello to talk about the support they’ve received from the community and their plans for the coming year, with several art classes and events on the horizon. Through the challenges Jacoby faced in 2024, Lappin and Morrigan emphasize that they never strayed from the center’s purpose.
“Our board and our staff really stuck together to just stay future-focused and focused on our mission. That’s the most important thing,” Lappin said. “Enriching lives through art in the community, that’s what we do. So we stay focused on that. We’re continuing to do that out in the community via our wonderful partnerships.”
Lappin said they “always felt the love” when community members stepped forward to voice their support and appreciation of the center following Jacoby’s loss of their space in 2024. She added that the center “tried to stay out of the drama” and simply focused on promoting their mission.
Lappin and Morrigan thanked partners like Milton Schoolhouse, The Conservatory and Hayner Library for their support and use of their spaces over the past few months. The center will kick off their year with “JAC Tonight,” a comedy night at The Conservatory on Jan. 16, 2025.
Morrigan is especially looking forward to the summer camps that Jacoby hosts every summer. In 2024, Jacoby expanded their summer programming to include camps for teenagers. The Jacoby board looks forward to offering more programs in summer 2025.
“I’m very committed to making it happen this summer, regardless of whether or not we have a brick-and-mortar,” Morrigan said. “It will be happening this summer one way or another. Art is in the community this year.”
To support art in the community, Jacoby is also offering a grant for local artists and art organizations. The Jacoby Arts Community Partner Fund will give away $10,000 to local artists. Jacoby received this grant from the Illinois Arts Council and now must regrant the money for projects in the Riverbend region.
Artists are encouraged to apply for up to $1,500 or $5,000 if you’re a nonprofit. Visit the official webpage for more information, including how to apply. Applications are due by Jan. 31, 2025, and Lappin encourages applicants to email her at rachel@jacobyartscenter.org with any questions.
“Support your local artists and your art organizations,” she added. “It’s so important. It’s not just a luxury. It is essential to our wellbeing here and community, so support your local artists and your art organizations. We all work really hard to bring art to our communities.”
Jacoby has also partnered with Hayner Library and YouthBuild through Lewis and Clark Community College to create free art libraries. These structures are similar to the little lending libraries that have become popular, but they contain art supplies, art books and projects. Elementary students will be invited to paint the structures and get them ready for installation, and then they will be installed throughout the community.
More information about the art libraries will be available soon. In the meantime, Jacoby will continue their programming through partnerships, and they remain on the search for a new space.
“We’re just keeping the mission alive with all our partners,” Lappin added. “There’s a lot of things we can do without our own brick-and-mortar, but we are still looking for our brick-and-mortar, and we’ve got a couple of options on the table.”
People can donate to Jacoby’s “20 for 20 Years of Community Art” campaign, which encourages $20 donations to celebrate Jacoby’s 20th anniversary in 2024. For more information about Jacoby Arts Center and their work, including how to donate, visit their official website at JacobyArtsCenter.org.
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