West Side Show Room receives grants
Rockford Register Star
ROCKFORD The West Side Show Room was recently awarded grants to offset class fees and ensure its Equity Diversity Inclusion Workshops are accessible to everyone in the Rockford area arts community.
The Show Room has used the COVID-19 downtime to develop an educational program to benefit the community. EDI Workshops For The Arts gives local arts leaders and participants a common language to help address racial and social inequities in the arts.
Locally, the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois and Rockford Area Arts Council have both awarded grant money for the workshops. A statewide Healing Illinois Grant, developed through a partnership between the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Chicago Community Trust, was also received. The Show Room is one of only a few from the stateline area to receive a Healing Illinois Grant.
Rockford art community leaders prioritizing equity and diversity in 2021
Unmute
ROCKFORD (WREX) After a year of racial reckoning in our community, artists in Rockford say changes need to be made to ensure everyone has equitable access to the arts. Historically, the arts have been primarily accessible by white people, says West Side Show Room Artistic Director Mike Werckle.
He says covid-19 shut down the performing arts, and that down time turned into a time of reflection for the Rockford art community; that the racial reckoning our community faced in 2020 has put a spotlight on ways we can all do better to address injustices and social inequalities.