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Arts Midwest is closed for our annual summer break from Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 9.

Be a Force for Midwestern Creativity

We believe creativity is the spark that makes the Midwest feel alive, connected, and full of possibility. Join our efforts to strengthen and amplify creativity across the region we call home.
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An adult helps a young child paint a mural of a dog at an outdoor event.
Photo Credit: Gahanna Area Arts Council

Joyful, Loud, and Midwest Proud

Discover the latest stories and updates from our nine states and beyond.
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Grants and Community Programs

We support organizations and artists through grants, programs, and awards that fuel creativity across the Midwest.

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An African American musician encircled by musicians and audience members.
Photo Credit: Marc Monaghan
Applications Due August 18

Midwest Culture Bearers Award

Every community has people who carry its stories, teachings, and creative practices forward to ensure cultural knowledge remains alive and accessible for future generations.

The 2026 Midwest Culture Bearers Award is now open and looking to support 18 cultural practitioners with $5,000 awards.

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A room full of people, some of whom are in traditional clothing and headgear, imcluding some wearing large paper sculptures over their heads.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Gabriela Jiménez Marván
For many in the Driftless region, the Día de los Muertos festivities are their first encounters with cartonería. “Embracing this new land and this community, we find more people interested in learning and being part of [our cultural events],” says Viroqua, Wisconsin, artist Gabriela Jiménez Marván.

We Rebuilt Our Resources. Here’s What’s New.

We’ve made three major updates to the Explore Resources section of our website.

If you ever thought, “I know Arts Midwest probably has a helpful resource for this, but I don’t have time to dig for it,” this one’s for you.

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A collage of seven photos showing artists and community members engaged in live performances and creative activities.

What a First-of-Its-Kind Survey Tells Us About Midwest Artists

The National Survey of Artists focuses on the creatives that other data keeps missing. Here’s what we now know about Midwest artists, from what they make to how they make it work.

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two women sitting on a performance stage, with one holding a cardboard steering wheel and pointing in the air
Midwestern actors perform Motherhood, the Musical presented by The Ghostlight Stage Company in Cincinnati.

Beyond the Jargon: The Creative Economy and You

Artists have been hearing the phrase creative economy a lot lately. Learn why it matters and where you fit in.

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A person letterpress printing a large wood type O
Photo Credit: Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum
Sharon Jue letterpress prints a large wood type O from the Hamilton Wood Type & Printing Museum Globe Collection.