State of the Arts and Culture Sector Briefing
Tuesday, January 13
3-4:30pm
Virtual
Join Arts Alliance Illinois for our annual State of the Arts & Culture Sector briefing: a one-hour virtual update on where we’ve been, where things stand now, and what lies ahead for arts advocacy in Illinois. This is your chance to hear directly from Arts Alliance leadership about the most pressing policy developments, recent wins, and emerging challenges facing the creative sector. You’ll also get a chance to meet our staff!
Together, we’ll take a look at:
- A snapshot of the federal landscape for arts & culture
- A briefing on federal arts education from Amanda Karhuse at NAfME
- A look ahead to the 2026 legislative session here in Illinois
We’ll close with time for a Q&A. Come with your questions!
Whether you’re a seasoned arts advocate or newly engaged, this briefing will help you head into the legislative session informed, prepared, and ready to act.
(If you attend one Arts Alliance event this year—besides Capitol Day—this should be it!)
Speakers
Claire Rice
Claire leads the visioning, development and implementation of all Arts Alliance Illinois activities. Rice previously served as the national director of Sustain Arts at Harvard University, a project providing free access to meaningful data on arts and cultural activity, successfully launched in three US regions. She began her arts career at the internationally renowned performing arts presenter UMS in Ann Arbor, where she was director of education. While there, she produced a month-long residency with the Royal Shakespeare Company, among the largest projects in the 131-year history of UMS, and was associate producer for the Naxos recording of William Bolcom’s Songs of Innocence and Experience, recognized in 2006 with four Grammy Awards. In 2010, Rice was published as a contributing author of 20UNDER40, a collection of innovative ideas addressing challenges faced by the arts sector. Rice came to the arts after six years working with federal and state-level clients in Washington, DC as a management consultant for Accenture. She holds a BA from the College and William and Mary and an MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Andrew Schneider
Andrew Schneider brings over a decade of experience in arts advocacy, coalition building, and policy leadership to Arts Alliance Illinois. Previously serving as Executive Director of the Wyoming Arts Alliance, Andrew spearheaded initiatives to ensure that creative workers, neighborhood arts groups, and cultural institutions of all sizes have the resources they need to thrive. With deep respect for Illinois’ rich cultural legacy—from Chicago’s storied theaters to vibrant community festivals across the state—Andrew is ready to roll up his sleeves and work alongside local leaders to strengthen the arts as an economic engine and a unifying force for every corner of Illinois.
Amanda Karhuse
At NAfMe, Amanda works with policymakers and other national organizations to promote music and the arts as an integral and core component of a well-rounded education. In this role, she coordinates all federal and state policy and advocacy efforts for NAfME, which includes lobbying, coalition-building activities, and strengthening the capacity of music education advocates.
Join Arts Alliance Illinois for our annual State of the Arts & Culture Sector briefing: a one-hour virtual update on where we’ve been, where things stand now, and what lies ahead for arts advocacy in Illinois. This is your chance to hear directly from Arts Alliance leadership about the most pressing policy developments, recent wins, and emerging challenges facing the creative sector. You’ll also get a chance to meet our staff!
Together, we’ll take a look at:
- A snapshot of the federal landscape for arts & culture
- A briefing on federal arts education from Amanda Karhuse at NAfME
- A look ahead to the 2026 legislative session here in Illinois
We’ll close with time for a Q&A. Come with your questions!
Whether you’re a seasoned arts advocate or newly engaged, this briefing will help you head into the legislative session informed, prepared, and ready to act.
(If you attend one Arts Alliance event this year—besides Capitol Day—this should be it!)
And don't forget...
To mark your calendars for April 15 and 16, when we’ll head to Springfield to advocate for the needs of our creative community at our annual Capitol Day. Stay tuned for upcoming announcements about registration, the schedule, and how to get involved!