Macomb Arts Center

04/23/2025

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our dear friend and passionate arts advocate, William T. “Billy” Clow.
Billy was a bright light in the Macomb Arts Center family—a constant source of creativity, generosity, and joy. He gave of himself fully, whether he was lending his talents, cheering on fellow artists, or simply offering a kind word and a warm smile. Billy believed deeply in the power of the arts to bring people together, and he lived that belief every day through his work, his presence, and his spirit.

He contributed in every possible way to the well-being of our arts community, and his absence leaves a space we cannot fill. The world feels dimmer without his light, but we are so grateful to have basked in its glow.

Billy's love for the arts was only matched by his love for his family. Our hearts are with Tammy, Edan, Cullen, Addison, Kate, and the entire Clow family, who have shared Billy’s warmth, laughter, and generous spirit with all of us. Their strength and grace during this time are a reflection of the deep love that surrounded him—and continues to ripple through our community.

Memorial contributions may be made in Billy’s honor to the Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts at WIU—a place he helped bring to life and one of his proudest legacies: http://wiu.edu/honorbilly

We love you, Billy. Thank you for your light, your heart, and your humor. You were truly one of a kind.

For Billy’s full obituary, please visit https://www.dodsworthfh.com/obituary/william-t-billy-clow

04/23/2025

Great reception for the Young Artists II: Elementary School Art Exhibit. One student even had family attend all the way from Texas! You still have a chance to see this awesome display of our local talent!

04/14/2025

Please join us for our opening reception this Sat. April 19, at 11 AM!

04/14/2025

OPPORTUNITY FOR ILLINOIS ARTISTS!

The Art-in-Architecture Program of the Capital Development Board is pleased to announce a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to Illinois professional artists to create permanent original public art for The Phillip J. Rock Center and School in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

FINAL DEADLINE Friday, April 11, 2025 EXTENSION
Friday, April 25, 2025 3:00 P.M.
[email protected]
Note: Applying before the final deadline is highly encouraged. Any portfolio
submitted after the deadline will not be considered for this project.

These public art commissions and potential purchases are open to all professional
artists, artisans, or artist-led teams that live and work in the state of Illinois.
• An artist/artisan is defined as a skilled practitioner that generates designs
and concepts for creative works that reflect form, beauty, and aesthetic
perception. All artists on a team must be from Illinois.
• Subcontractors may be used and are defined as those providing technical
implementation such as construction, fabrication, and/or assembly for
portions or all of a finished product under direct supervision and control of
an artist.

The budget for the artwork is $83,000.

The Art-in-Architecture Procedure Manual, commission opportunities, and other
information are posted on the AIA Program website. For questions, email
[email protected].

The new Art-in-Architecture Program of the Capital Development Board link is:https://cdb.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/cdb/professionalgrowth/art/documents/rfq/759-011-007-rock-center-rfq-extension.pdf

04/02/2025

Opportunities for Artists:
Applications for 2025-26 Artist-in-Residence Program
Lillstreet Art Center /

Deadline: May 1st, 2025 at 11:59 pm
Final decision announced June 1st, 2025

Residency Period:
Year Long: September 1st, 2025 – August 31st, 2026
9 Month: September 1st, 2025 – May 31st, 2026

Application Components:
- Current CV/resume
- Artist portfolio
- A brief artist bio, written in the third person
- A narrative statement outlining how you’ll use your time in the studio
- Statement on teaching ability across age groups

Residency Includes:
- Personal workspace in a group studio
- 24-hour access to facilities and equipment
- Free classes in any of our six departments
- Paid opportunities to teach and/or assist classes
- Participation in a solo exhibition with an option for an end of the residency group exhibition in the Lillstreet gallery.
- A stipend of $400 every month.

The Lill Street Art Center encourages applicants to attend the Residency Info Session before applying. The info session is hosted virtually one month before application deadline. Still have questions? Please reach out to darsh*[email protected] for assistance.

For more information, follow the link; for IG users copy and paste the link into your browser: https://lillstreet.com/applying-to-be-a-resident

04/02/2025

Board members met with Jerome Grand of the Illinois Arts Council to discuss IAC's grant opportunities.

Special shout out to Sue Scott of the Western Illinois Museum for coordinating the main, open presentation by Mr. Grand at the Western Illinois Museum. (How great a job is she doing? Please make sure and thank Sue Scott, next time you see her, for building such a vital community hub!)

Thanks, also to Arts Alliance Illinois !

Together, we grow the arts and cultural offerings of our region.

03/31/2025

Let's all get out and support WIU Theatre !

03/31/2025

Shout out to Adam of Square Music Company for loaning us numerous elements to make our sound system functional for the Western Ramblers performance on Friday. When we needed help, he was the first and only person we needed to text. He got us set up perfectly for that event. We are so thankful for the collaborative nature of business owners in Macomb!

If you're in the market for music gear, instrument repair, records, lessons, or music lifestyle products, Square Music Company should be your first stop!

Thank you Adam!

03/30/2025

Here's a snippet from the Album Release celebration for Green by Ashlee Mack

03/30/2025

Chad Fess just started his guided meditation for the Ashlee Mack performance tonight! Music starts at 7:30pm!

03/28/2025

03/28/2025

Ramblers are here and prepping for a wonderful show! Hope to see you here at 6:00!

03/23/2025

Another Battle of the Brushes in the books! Thank you artists and guests.
Congrats to our winner Rachael Sheridan!
Special shout out to Jeremy Robinett and his WIU students for helping with every aspect of this event. Huge thanks to Macomb Rotary for also sending 4 awesome volunteers our way.

03/22/2025

It's a busy day at the MAC! Thank you, MMS & MHS jazz bands for another fun Jazz on the Square!
Join us at 7 PM: Battle of the Brushes! $25 at the door / $10 for college students.

03/21/2025

In celebration of Women's History Month, consider the artist Tiff Massey.

"Tiff Massey is internationally recognized for immersive installations, public art, wearable sculptures, and performances inspired by her experiences living and working in Detroit over the past four decades. Trained as a metalsmith and jeweler, Massey merges metalsmithing with meaningful community-based work to explore the relationship between the body and urban space, and she was the first Black woman to earn an MFA in metalsmithing from the Cranbrook Academy of Art. She draws on 1980s hip-hop culture and her experiences as a Detroit native to explore the concept of adornment in the African diaspora and contemporary issues surrounding race, class, and popular culture. Massey’s art has been featured in solo and group shows nationally and internationally and has garnered her multiple awards. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Art and Design in New York and the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia. She is a 2021 United States Artist Fellow, 2019 Art Jewelry Forum Susan Beech Mid-Career Artist Grantee, two-time Knight Arts Challenge Grantee, and 2015 Kresge Artists Fellow. Her mid-career retrospective at the Detroit Institute of Arts opened in May 2024." (www.unitedstatesartist.org)

Photo/Credit: Baby Bling, 2023 / Detroit Institute of Arts