Founded in 1999 by an act of the Mattoon City Council, the Mattoon Arts Council supports, develops, facilitates and promotes high-quality, affordable arts programs and activities for people of all ages. 

The Mattoon Arts Council envisions a vibrant, creative community where arts activities are frequent and evident, where members of the community have opportunities to experience and engage in the arts directly and where arts activities are appreciated as an asset for the community and economic development.

For current information check us out at Facebook!  Or visit the City of Mattoon's website at the link below.  




As a community organization, we believe: 
- our work must be done in collaboration with others to make the most of our assets as a small community; 
- that art is defined broadly as to include include the widest possible interpretation of the language, visual and performing arts;
- that the arts intrinsically enhance a community's quality of life;
- in supporting events that offer the opportunities to educate; and,
- engagement in artistic activities stimulates community creativity and attracts people to a community in ways that have long-term social and economic benefits.

Mattoon Arts Council:
The following members serve as appointees of the Mattoon City Council:
Justin Grady, chair
Janahn Kolden, vice chair
Beth Heldebrandt, secretary
Scott Gradle, treasurer
Rob Westcott
Clay Dean
Mike Kallis
Bruce Karmazin
Robert McClean
Jenny Osborn
Julie Wilkerson

Ex Officio Members
Angelia Burgett, Tourism Director
Rick Hall, Commissioner
Sue McLaughlin, City Administrator


Meetings
The Mattoon Arts Council meets at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month at City Hall.


There are many ways to get involved in the work of promoting the Arts in Mattoon. You can serve on a MAC committee or coordinate an event. 
Contact us for information about how you can get involved.   

Retiring MAC board member Scott Claypool was honored by the Mattoon City Council on Feb. 21 for his nine years of service on the board. He served as chairman of the board for two years. Pictured is Claypool, right, with City Commissioner Rick Hall, left, and current MAC Chairman Justin Grady.

In order to encourage fullest community use of the Rotary Band Shell, MAC announces a grant opportunity to community groups and clubs.  Your group can receive a one-for-one dollar match up to $250 to support your plans to bring musicians and other performers to the Rotary Band Shell.  As Tourism Director Angelia Burgett noted: the Rotary Bandshell offers a wonderful, family friendly, outdoor performance venue right in the middle of town.  We should be using it more!  

The only conditions to receiving the support is that events must be open to the public. Contact MAC for more information.  

Justin Grady, Mattoon Arts Council chairman, spoke to members of the Mattoon Rotary Club on Jan. 30. Justin explained that during the last year, the council has presented adult and children's art classes, provided a percussion program for the elementary school, made donations to the guitar program at the Mattoon Middle School, started a pipe organ recital series with two concerts in 2011 and two more schedueld for 2012, awarded six arts summer camp scholarships to Mattoon High School students, and started a program of Movies in the Park (partnering with the Mattoon Library) at Lytle Park that were well received.  Ten movies were shown during the summer of 2011 and for 2012, a movie is scheduled every week that school is out. 
An Arts in the Park event tied into Bagelfest was held last summer, and a middle school program on anti-bullying was held in cooperation with the Little Theatre on the Square. Justin also talked about organizations that have already been great partners including the Mattoon School District, Camp New Hope, the Little Theatre, Douglas-Hart Nature Center and Mattoon Public Library. Possibly the most visible MAC project are the murals in midtown, including the recently completed one at Progress Square.
The arts council is also offering a matching grant of $250 for any local organization to bring more events to the Rotary Bandshell in Peterson Park. Rotary Club made the first donation to the program. Pictured, Debbie Albin, president of the Rotary Club of Mattoon, presented Justin with a check for $250.