Luminarts Cultural Foundation

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Luminarts Cultural Foundation

The Luminarts Cultural Foundation supports young Chicago artists by selecting Luminarts Fellows annually.

Luminarts Cultural Foundation identifies, amplifies and invests in exemplary emerging artists, to ensure that Chicago has a vibrant and sustainable cultural infrastructure. Fellows receive recognition and financial support, and are cultivated by the Foundation as they continue their artistic practice to the betterment of Chicago's cultural landscape.

10/13/2026

Just 3 DAYS until Illuminate! We can’t wait to celebrate our Luminarts Cultural Foundation Fellows and support the next generation of Chicago artists alongside our attendees this Friday. ✨✨

Illuminate guests won’t want to miss the chance to win the ultimate TAO Chicago experience! 🥂

Enjoy a chef’s selection dinner for six with premier seating and w**e pairings, plus reserved nightclub seating and complimentary ch*****ne. An unforgettable evening valued at thousands could be yours with a suggested donation of just $100 per entry. There’s no limit on entries, but you must be present to win, so stick around after the final performance!

We’ll see you Friday! 🪩

10/09/2026

Illuminate is officially one week away! 🤩

The gala is more than a celebration of Luminarts Fellows and supporters. It’s a chance to Ignite the Change, helping the next generation of Chicago artists bring their ideas to life.

And that impact extends beyond the evening itself. Applications for the 2027 Fellowship are now open (learn more at the link in our bio!), and proceeds from Illuminate will directly benefit the artists selected for the next cohort. Every ticket purchased, sponsorship made, drawing entry, and donation advances the Luminarts mission to give emerging creatives the funding, opportunities, mentorship, and platform they need to develop their work and build sustainable careers.

For one extraordinary night, jazz, visual arts, creative writing, classical music, architecture, and fashion will converge at the Union League Club of Chicago, showcasing the bold work of Luminarts Fellows and the many ways they are shaping Chicago’s cultural landscape.

We can’t wait for you to see what they’ve been working on! Thank you for helping Keep Chicago Creative.

10/08/2026

What does a Luminarts Fellowship make possible? For Pegah Bahador (.in.light) (2026 Visual Arts Fellow), it meant securing a studio space after graduating with her MFA from Northwestern University.

“Having a studio has been an essential step in sustaining my practice beyond school,” Pegah shared. “It has also given me the opportunity to have studio visits with artists and curators in Chicago and become more connected to the local arts community.”

Her thesis work, Poets of the Same Shade (pictured), was on display at the Block Museum from May through July. The work explores the relationship between architecture and language and was inspired by the home of exiled Iranian author Taghi Modarressi. Pegah also has an upcoming group show at Chicago Art Department () and the Fellowship has given her “the time and space to continue developing this work.”

“Being part of the Luminarts community has meant a great deal to me because it has given me a community of artists and a network in Chicago at a moment when I am building my practice here.”

Supporting Luminarts, including by sponsoring or attending the Illuminate Gala next week (!), directly invests in artists like Pegah. The Gala helps make opportunities like these possible, giving Fellows the resources to bring ambitious ideas to life, pursue their dreams, and build sustainable creative careers in Chicago.

🎨 Applications for the 2027 Luminarts Fellowship are now open. Learn more and apply today at the link in our bio!

10/07/2026

Illuminate is just over a week away! ✨✨

We're proud to welcome our community of artists, partners, and supporters to Illuminate on October 16, an evening dedicated to celebrating Luminarts Fellows, the next generation of Chicago's creative leaders.

If you're unable to attend the gala this year, consider making a donation at luminarts.org/donate to support our mission to identify, amplify, and invest in exemplary emerging artists. Your support helps ensure Chicago has a vibrant and sustainable cultural infrastructure. Every contribution allows Luminarts to invest in the careers of artists between the ages of 18-30, growing their impact across the city and around the world.

Thank you to our wonderful event chairs, Beverly and Paul Sneddon.

And to our creative host committee: Shontaye & Eyassu Abegaz, Jed & Hallie Brewer, Lunden Cunningham, Angela Green, David Helverson & Stephen Alvey, Bob Kreisman & Marie Johnson, Andy & Elizabeth Lapp, Gracie & Dan McFadden, Eran Miller, Cherilyn G. Murer, Alyssa & Brian Quinlan, Lynne & Tim Rinkoski, Mario Santiago, Mallory Seagraves, and Rebecca Thomson.

And to our generous sponsors, keeping Chicago creative.

Our work would not be possible without all of your support! Donate today at the link in our bio.

10/01/2026

⭐ TODAY is the last day to buy tickets to the Illuminate Gala! ⭐

On October 16, we’re celebrating the Luminarts Fellows. Your ticket helps directly fund artistic grants, mentorship, workshops, and opportunities for Chicago's next generation of artists.

As Pulitzer-nominated author and Luminarts Board Member Rebecca Makkai put it, culture is at the heart of how people talk about Chicago.

“When I travel and people talk to me about Chicago, they might be talking about things they've heard on the news...about sports, but most often they're talking about things like jazz and blues,” Makkai shared. “They're talking about writers they know from Chicago. They're talking about the time they went to the Art Institute. That's the vision of the city that people have, and we need that to be a constantly renewing vision.”

Support the vision by supporting Luminarts. Get your ticket at the link in our bio! ✨✨

09/29/2026

🗣️ This is your LAST WEEK to buy a ticket or become a sponsor for the Illuminate Gala! ✨ More info at the link in our bio!

On top of celebrating and meeting Luminarts Fellows, Illuminate is an opportunity to support the next generation of Chicago artists and help make their dreams a reality, like 2025 Luminarts Fellow Alejandro Salazar.

After applying for the Luminarts Fellowship multiple times, Alejandro’s perseverance paid off when he was named a Fellow in Jazz Improvisation. “It came when it was meant to,” he said.

The award gave Alejandro time at Palisades Studios in Chicago. He flew in Cuban musicians from around the world and recorded for two days straight. “A dream come true,” he called it. Now, his debut album is on the way.

You can help make the next dream come true by joining us at the Union League Club of Chicago on October 16. Your support provides emerging artists with funding, mentorship, education, residencies, and career-building connections.

Hear more of Alejandro’s story at Illuminate! ✨💫

09/25/2026

Meet the Illuminate Event Chairs, Beverly and Paul Sneddon! ✨ Beverly serves on the Board of Directors of the Union League Club of Chicago and Luminarts Cultural Foundation.

This year, they’re thrilled to welcome the gala back to the Club for an evening filled with creative delights, artful surprises, and plenty of celebration. They’ve been hard at work making the night special for everyone, from our guests to the talented Luminarts Fellows we’re there to champion.

Join Paul and Beverly on October 16 as we celebrate and support the next generation of Chicago artists. Your ticket helps make opportunities like these possible for emerging artists across the city. 🎨🤝

The deadline to buy a ticket or sponsorship is OCTOBER 1. Learn more at the link in our bio! ➡️ ➡️ ➡️

09/23/2026

The 2027 Luminarts Fellowship applications are OPEN! 💡 Wondering what makes an application stand out? Join us tomorrow, Thursday, at 7 p.m. CDT for our first Fellowship Webinar!

Our Program Director Alex Benjamin will walk prospective fellows (🫵) through the application process, share helpful resources, and leave plenty of time to answer your questions. Bring your curiosity and come ready to learn more about the Fellowship and how to put your best application forward.

💻 RSVP to receive the Zoom link at the link in our bio.

Can’t make it? No worries! All webinars will be recorded and available on our website through the application deadline on January 15, 2027. We’ll also two more webinars in November and January, so stay tuned!

See you tomorrow! 🤩

09/18/2026

The 2026 Illuminate Gala is less than a month away! Have you gotten your ticket? 💫

We can’t wait for you to experience the immersive world our Fellows have created for this year’s gala, a part of which will be brought to life by Breanna Robinson () (2024 Visual Arts) and Raeleen Kao () (2018 Visual Arts).

⚡ Breanna is a multidisciplinary artist exploring memory-making through identity, cultural production, and technology. Named a 2025 Newcity Breakout Artist following her 2024 Luminarts Fellowship, she will present two works at the gala.

⚡ Raeleen is a print and paper installation maker specializing in multi-plate etching and woodcut. Represented by Bert Green Fine Art in Chicago, her work is held in the permanent collections of the Kohler Art Museum, Smith College Museum of Art, and the University of Richmond Rare Books & Special Collections. Raeleen will also be exhibiting two works at Illuminate.

🎟️ Get your tickets or learn more about sponsorships at the link in our bio.

Don’t miss the chance to experience Breanna and Raeleen’s work together for one night only on Friday, October 16, at the Union League Club of Chicago.

Address

65 W Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL
60604

Telephone

+13124355961

Website

https://linkthread.com/luminartsculturalfoundation

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