Prairie Center of the Arts

Prairie Center of the Arts was founded in 2003 as a juried Artist in Residency program to attract emerging and established artists from Illinois and around the world;  to provide these artists and local artists with opportunities for research and development of new work;  to provide an accessible facility for art and creativity that embraces the Peoria area community offering equipment and new technologies not currently available to the general public.

2014 Update: Moving into 2014 Prairie Center temporarily suspended the residency program to focus on implementing a Community Print Shop and Book Arts facility. Since 2006 they have been acquiring equipment and supplies from various venues to be able to install a press which will serve their community with memberships, studio access, classes and workshops to enhance awareness of the fine art of printmaking and book arts.

The residency programme will reopen for local artists in 2014, with the intention to reopen for artists from around the world in a year or so.

Artists are requested to interact with the community in some way either by showing their work, doing a reading or having a gallery talk or open studio.

The Prairie Center Home serves as the residency retreat and houses guest artists 20 minutes (11 miles) from the Peoria studios.  The house is in a rural location about ½ mile outside the Village of Germantown Hills and sits on 50 acres.  All areas outside of the bedrooms and studios are common areas to be enjoyed by all residents. The house is Wifi enabled. 

Studios are on street level and range in size from 40 X 70 to 20 X 30 and are shared spaces. There is also a B&W photography studio with sinks, tables, and a ventilation system, enlarger and timer. This area has a full kitchen with lounge area and bathroom. One floor above the studios is a 15,000 square foot installation space which is not heated or air conditioned. One studio at the residential facility is wheel chair accessible.

Digital lab and print shop, as well as 2 Clavinova and a small music reference library. For further details, visit the Studio space page.