The Rockford Area Arts Council supports, promotes, and develops the arts for everyone in the Northern Illinois region. VISION The Rockford Area Arts Council is the lead organization for leveraging arts and culture as catalysts for community, economic and educational development. MISSION Supports by regranting, providing outreach programs to over 120,000 people of all economic backgrounds and bringing the arts to underserved populations Promotes the arts through events including ArtScene which promotes over 350 local artists and the State of the Arts and Mayor's Art Awards which recognize achievements in the arts over the past year Develops programs like ArtsPlace giving youth a positive experience, learning job skills through the arts. Since its first summer in 1995 over 1,000 "artist apprentices" have completed the program VALUES Collaboration Initiate and participate in collaborative efforts that are beneficial to a wide audience Education Advocating for excellence in arts education for all ages Impact Serving as a catalyst to increase awareness of the importance of the arts to the economy and quality of life Inspiration Striving to provide the spark that inspires creativity Support Giving of ourselves and of our resources to encourage the development of artistic expression