Capitol Day
Each spring, Capitol Day gathers arts advocates in Springfield to meet with legislators, receive advocacy training, and connect with peers to strengthen Illinois’ creative sector.
Learn more and fill out the interest form to join us on April 15 and 16 in Springfield!
Representative Camille Y. Lilly with arts advocate Camille Wilson-White during our 2024 Capitol Day.
What is Capitol Day?
Capitol Day is our annual advocacy gathering in Springfield. Each Spring, artists, arts workers, and cultural leaders come together to learn about current policy priorities and speak directly with lawmakers about the impact of arts and culture in their communities.
Participants are guided through the advocacy process and supported every step of the way. No prior experience required!
What You'll Do
During Capitol Day, advocates will:
Receive advocacy training and issue briefings from Arts Alliance staff
Meet in small groups with state legislators and their offices
Share stories and examples from their own communities
Build relationships with fellow advocates from across Illinois
Who Should Attend
Capitol Day is open to:
- Artists and creatives
- Arts administrators and organization staff
- Educators and teaching artists
- Students and emerging advocates
- Patrons and supporters of the arts
What we're advocating for
In 2026, our primary advocacy focus is securing increased state investment in arts and culture to support long-term stability across the sector. View our policy agenda and our 2026 advocacy priorities to learn more!
As an arts advocate, how do these goals show up in your goals for your own community? What specific goals or concerns do you have for your own community?
Capitol Day 2026 Interest Form
Interested in joining us at this year’s Capitol Day on April 15 and 16? Fill out the form below! We’ll follow up with next steps and event details.
Capitol Day 2025 Recap
From conversations with legislators to celebrating the launch of the Illinois Creative Caucus at the Governor’s Mansion, Capitol Day 2025 highlighted the power of advocates working together for the arts.
Event Description
Every spring, arts and culture advocates from across Illinois come together to champion key issues that impact the larger creative community in Illinois while advancing the specific needs of their communities. This year, Capital Day will take place on April 30 and offer creatives a chance to connect with their legislators, Arts Alliance staff, and other advocates from across the state.
What We're Advocating For
This year, our main priority is to communicate to legislators the importance of protecting arts funding in the Governor’s proposed budget. Governor Pritzker has recommended that the State preserve the historic gains made in last year’s budget.
Our advocacy work falls into the following three pillars:
Increase Public Funding for the Arts
Match the state’s stature as the 5th largest creative economy with the 5th largest public investment in direct state-level support to cultural organizations and artists in America. Develop new and innovative intergovernmental pathways for creatives to access resources.
Ensure Arts Education for all K-12 Students in Illinois
Position Illinois as the most supportive state for arts education in the nation by ensuring that all Illinois K-12 students – regardless of their race, zip code, or income – have access to high-quality arts learning during the school day and beyond.
Move Creative Workers from Surviving to Thriving
Position Illinois as the destination for creative entrepreneurs and the creative workforce by increasing the number of artists and creatives who are working and thriving in Illinois.
Participant Selection
We’d love to have as many advocates as possible join us in Springfield this year, but due to space limitations, we can only accommodate a limited number. Our top priority is including folks whose issues are most urgently aligned with what we’re advocating for and who represent a variety of disciplines and legislative districts across the state.
Fill out the form below to express interest in joining this year’s cohort. If selected, you are expected to attend!
Interest form deadline: Thursday, March 13 at 5pm.
Note: This is an interest form and not a guarantee! Your participation is not confirmed until we reach back out to you with a confirmation. If you fill this form out you are telling us that you’re available and can travel to Springfield. Please keep the date blocked until we reach back out to you by the week of March 17.
Update: The interest form is now closed. If you have any questions, please contact Bindu Poorori, Director of Community Organizing, at poroori@artsalliance.org.