Starved Rock Country Community Foundation’s The Arts of Starved Rock Country Fund awarded Festival 56 a grant of $1,500 for their summer youth camp. Festival 56 was founded in 2003 and is a volunteer driven, non-profit arts organization dedicated to developing Princeton and the surrounding region as a home for professional theatre and theatre arts education. Festival 56 offers professional theatre in central Illinois and is produced by Princeton Theatre Group. Learning Stage, the education committee of Princeton Theatre Group, promotes theatre arts education and enrichment for children and adults. Camp 56, a two-week summer theatre camp for children, is sponsored by Learning Stage. The mission of Festival 56 is to present a wide selection of the most memorable plays and musicals throughout history, from the plays of William Shakespeare to the new generation of Broadway composers.
Recently returning to Festival 56 as Producing Artistic Director is Marc Bitler, who previously served as Casting Director and as a member of the acting company for three seasons. With a background in performance, fundraising, casting, and education, he is dedicated to honoring a wide range of stories, uplifting artists, and equipping the next generation of performers and professionals.
Starved Rock Country Community Foundation Arts of Starved Rock Country Fund is honored to have funded Festival 56 in every grant cycle. The Foundation offers two cycles of grant funding each year in partnership with the Illinois Arts Council Agency, who provides a portion of the grant dollars available each year. For more information on the Art Grant opportunity and the application process through the Arts of Starved Rock Country Fund, visit https://srccf.org/artgrant/ or contact the SRCCF at 815-252-2906. The deadline for the current grant application cycle is September 15, 2026.
