The Arts of Starved Rock Country Fund has awarded grants to nine projects including a pair of awards totaling $4,500 to the Poco a Poco Summer Music Fest in Streator, Illinois.


Arts of Starved Rock Country Fund Administrator Rene Parks Wendinger said a total of $12,575 will be awarded to eight organizations including:
- Poco a Poco, $2,500 for its Summer Music Fest and $2,000 for four student scholarships.
- Ottawa Concert Association, $1,275 for annual shows.
- Second Story Teen Center in Princeton, $2,000 for a “Zines Project” that facilitates a hand-made, small-issue magazine to provide teens experience in writing, graphic design, and photography.
- Illinois Valley Symphony Orchestra, $2,000 for spring 2026 shows.
- Princeton Theater Group, $500 for an artistic ensemble.
- Reddick Library in Ottawa, $500 for art materials.
- NCI Artworks in Peru, $800 for annual shows, and
- Peru Public Library, $1,000 for its summer reading program.
Grants such as these are made in part through the financial support of the Illinois Arts Council and we are grateful for their partnership!