Our Mission
Founded in 1999, ArtsPartners of Central Illinois, Inc. is a 501(c)3 tax exempt, non-for-profit organization whose mission is to build awareness and strengthen the arts for the economic and cultural enrichment of Central Illinois.
Our vision is to be the one-stop source for arts information in Central Illinois; and to facilitate partnerships and programs that empower and raise awareness for the arts. We work to accomplish our mission by…
Engaging the Community with the Arts
We facilitate partnerships, initiatives and programs that encourage and expand opportunities for public participation in the arts. Additionally, we coordinate information and resources on behalf of local arts organizations to help keep the arts on the community agenda.
Supporting the Arts
We promote the arts through community-wide marketing activities aimed at developing new audiences and patrons for the arts in central Illinois. Additionally, we champion professional development and networking opportunities to strengthen our greater arts community.
Our Staff
Jenn Gordon
Executive Director
Kenney Delaney
Program & Administrative Specialist
Jenn Gordon
Executive Director
Jenn Gordon joined ArtsPartners as Executive Director in April of 2015. Previously she served as Manager for Concert and Artist Activities for North and South America for Steinway & Sons – New York. She is a Peoria native and is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy and the University of Illinois where she earned a Bachelors in Music – Violin Performance. She grew up participating in lots of local theatre and music in Central Illinois and is thrilled to be back to raise her family and advocate for the arts in her home town.
- 309-258-1327
- jgordon@artspartners.net
- 820 SW Adams St. Peoria, IL 61602
Kenney Delaney
Program & Administrative Specialist
Kenney came on board at ArtsPartners as the Administrative Assistant in September of 2015. Hailing from Southern California, Kenney is a huge theatre enthusiast who attended Cal State Fullerton and worked as an Entertainment Costumer for the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim before transferring to Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois. He holds a Bachelor of Science with concentrations in Theatre, Youth Ministry, and Family and Consumer Science. Prior to working with ArtsPartners he has worked with several churches and non-profits in different capacities from Facilities Management to Graphic Designing. Kenney is ecstatic to be working with ArtsPartners to help empower the arts in the Peoria area.
- 309-676-2787
- admin2@artspartners.net
- 820 SW Adams St. Peoria, IL 61602
Officers and Board Members
Mary Jo Papich, President
The Jazz Education Network
Glen Harris, Vice President
Global Program Manager | Caterpillar Foundation
Pam Johnson, Treasurer
Chief Financial Officer | Heights Finance
Mary Jo Papich, President
The Jazz Education Network
Mary Jo Papich, known for her leadership in arts education has spread the good news of the arts from the heart of the midwest to South Africa! She is Cofounder of the Jazz Education Network (June 1, 2008) which is now in 44 countries. Serving public school education for 35+ years as teacher and fine arts administrator for Niles D219, Highland Park HS D113 and Peoria #150 her vision is that all children will know and benefit from the arts.
Recent honors include: Medal of Honor from Midwest Clinic, Outstanding Service to Music by Tau Beta Sigma, DownBeat’s Lifetime Jazz Ed Achievement Award, Outstanding Jazz Educator from Chicago Jazz Institute, Tau Beta Sigma’s Outstanding Service to Music award, the Arts Inspiration Award - The Art Center HP, Women in Jazz Award from the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. Papich is on the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Advisory Board, past ILMEA Board and Highland Park Cultural Arts Commission, selection committee for the Grammy Museum Foundation Music Educator of the Year award and has served National Endowment for the Arts grant selection. HPHS Patrons of the Arts annually award a Highland Park High School student the MJ Papich Leadership Scholarship and JEN has honored her with giving the Mary Jo Papich Women In Jazz Scholarship to deserving students at their annual conference.
Papich is the editor of Rehearsing the Jazz Band and The Jazz Educator’s Cookbook-Creative Recipes for Players and Teachers. Both books are published by Meredith Music and distributed by Hal Leonard Music, proceeds to Jazz Education Network.
MJ is a graduate of Truman State (MO) and Bradley University (IL) graduating from Albia (IA) Community High School, where she was inducted in to the Hall of Fame. Her professional affiliations include JEN, ILMEA, NAfME/MENC, Sigma Alpha Iota Alumnae, ArtsPartners of Central Illinois board member. She credits her students for her continued inspiration.

Glen Harris, Vice President
Global Program Manager | Caterpillar Foundation
Glen manages a global portfolio of philanthropic investments for the Caterpillar Foundation, helping to build resilient communities that can thrive in tomorrow’s world. Prior to joining Caterpillar, he served as part of the world’s largest humanitarian network, the Red Cross. Dedicated to professional and community service, Glen has served on the New Employment Opportunities Steering Committee (a multi-stakeholder initiative led by the Inter-American Development Bank), the Education Committee of the Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals, and is currently Vice-President of the ArtsPartners of Central Illinois Board of Directors, as well as a member of the Self-Reliance Fund Allocation Committee for the Heart of Illinois United Way. With a lifelong interest in music, Glen is a multi-instrumentalist whose compositions have been broadcasted on three continents.

Pam Johnson, Treasurer
Chief Financial Officer | Heights Finance

Hiral Hudson, Secretary
Financial Advisor | Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Hiral Hudson grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and moved to Peoria in 2008. She started her career at Edward Jones and joined Morgan Stanley in 2010, where she serves as a Financial Advisor on the Epley-Wolbeck Group. In addition to advice, Hiral educates and prepares her clients for any financial blind spots they may face. Hiral, her husband, Sam, and their two kids (Juliana, 7 and Charlie, 3) live in Brimfield, IL.
While not an artist herself, Hiral is an active member of the Peoria community. She recently won the “Community Leader of the Year” award from Women in Leadership for displaying outstanding community service and leadership. In addition to serving as ArtsPartners Secretary, Hiral actively helps organize Easter Seals and Brimfield Grade School Fundraisers, and is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Peoria. Hiral has dedicated herself to making Peoria a better place to live, work, play and raise a family.

Jay Babin
River City Labs; Caterpillar

Erin Buczynski
Director of Galleries | Bradley University
Erin Buczynski is the Director of Galleries, Exhibitions and Collections at Bradley University and an affiliate faculty member in the Department of Art and Design. Prior to joining Bradley University, she served as Program Director at Prairie Center of the Arts, an artist residency program and gallery. She received her Master of Fine Arts from Rochester Institute of Technology, Bachelor of Fine Arts from Alfred University, and additionally studied at Lorenzo de' Medici, The Art Institute of Florence, Italy. Buczynski is a member of the class of 2012 Peoria 40 leaders under 40 and an active artist who works in mediums of sculpture, painting, mixed media and installation.

Frannie Heine
Director of Domestic Fulfillment & Global Logistics | Maui Jim
Frannie was born and raised in Peoria, IL and attended Illinois State University, receiving her bachelor’s degree in HR Management and International Business. She has spent her career at Maui Jim Sunglasses where she’s held various roles across Human Resources, Global Operations and Supply Chain. Frannie’s passion for travel and exploring new cultures has led her to work closely with Maui Jim’s international teams, including a 5 year assignment in Dubai, UAE. She now leads the US Distribution and Logistics teams for Maui Jim.
- fheine@mauijim.com
Alexander Martin
Outreach and Marketing Coordinator | Central Illinois Friends
Alexander Martin is a multiracial black and queer artist and performer living and working in Peoria, Illinois. Born in Hurricane, West Virginia, they completed their BFA at West Virginia University in 2010, then went on to receive their MFA in printmaking from Bradley University in 2017. In 2015 they co-founded the artist-run project space Project 1612 with Jessica Bingham and Zach Ott, bringing contemporary artists and their practices to Central Illinois in an accessible manner while highlighting the efforts of the Central Illinois arts community. After receiving their MFA, Alexander spent a brief time in residency at T.H.I.Studios in Tottenham North London, then served as resident and program director at the Prairie Center of the Arts. As a drag queen performing under the name Artemisia VanHo, Alexander was crowned Miss Gay Peoria and Miss Gay Illinois USofA 2019 and often contributes performances to community education events. Community engagement is a major theme of their studio practice, so they are involved with several organizations and community art planning efforts, for example the 2020 project ‘Remember Her Peoria’ that commemorated and called attention to the lives of local women lost to violence. Alexander currently works as the peer outreach and marketing coordinator for Central Illinois Friends, doing work with the LGBTQ+ and black community around sexual health and destigmatization. Their practice is a combination of mixed media work, found objects, performance, ritual, and education.
Kristan H. McKinsey
Director | Illinois Women Artists Project
Enjoying and stewarding the arts define Kristan McKinsey. Growing up in India and visiting museums with her older sister instilled a strong interest in arts and culture in her. She holds a BA in Art History with a Concentration in Asian Studies from Swarthmore College and an MA in Early American Culture from the Winterthur Museum Program at the University of Delaware. Between programs she trained as a modern dancer in New York, supporting herself as a financial analyst.
Degrees in hand, McKinsey enjoyed a 32-year professional museum career starting at the Saint Louis Art Museum where she oversaw research for the reinstallation of six period rooms and 3,000 square feet of galleries, moving on to the Evanston Historical Society outside Chicago, and concluding at the Lakeview Museum of Art and Sciences and its successor, the Peoria Riverfront Museum in Peoria, Illinois. She retired in 2016 to become Director of the Illinois Women Artists Project, a research and documentation project. McKinsey now also serves on this board and is President of the Fine Arts Society of Peoria.

Garry Moore

Michelle Nielsen Ott
Director of Library Services | Methodist College
Michelle Nielsen Ott is the Director of Library Services at Methodist College. Michelle began her library career as a student worker at Vanderbilt Libraries and fell in love with the profession. She moved to Peoria in 2009 to take the position of Outreach and Reference Librarian at Illinois Central College. In 2017, she started her current position. As director, Michelle ensures the effective operation of the library.
She is active in her profession presenting at conferences and participating in associations locally and nationally. Michelle completes her role as President of the Illinois Chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries in fall 2020.
Serving the community is a passion for Michelle. In addition to serving on the ArtsPartners Board, she also chairs the Sculpture Walk Peoria committee. She is the Vice Chair of the Women’s Fund Advisory Board and Vice President of Special Events for Women in Leadership of Central Illinois. Michelle is a member of several groups and committees including Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Community Leadership School Advisory Committee, Lions Club, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and Peoria PlayHouse’s Hopscotch Committee. In support of her children, Michelle is also an active parent volunteer at their schools and as hockey team manager. Since 2017, Michelle has been a St. Jude runner.
Michelle grew up in Iowa, near Davenport, and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa (BA), Vanderbilt University Divinity School (MTS), and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Information Studies (MLIS). She resides in Peoria with her husband and two children.

Megan Pedigo
Director of Marketing | Easterseals of Central IL
Megan Pedigo is the Director of Marketing at Easterseals Central Illinois where she assists with fundraising and advocacy along with brand marketing and public relations. Prior to being with Easterseals she worked alongside Arts Partners as the Director of Marketing for the Peoria Civic Center, where she obtained a passion for Arts Partners and its programs. She sees supporting the arts as integral to the economic success of the greater Peoria area, contributing to the economy and quality of life. She also enjoys supporting the arts and their involvement within the child development space.
She enjoys attending art events with her 5-year-old twins who have a budding appreciation for all things creative. Originally from Sycamore, Illinois, Megan now resides with her family in Mapleton, IL. She has a degree in Recreation, Parks and Tourism from Western Illinois University.

Stacy L. Peterson
Strategic Communications Manager | City of Peoria
Stacy L. Peterson is the Strategic Communication Manager for the City of Peoria. Ms. Peterson has served on the Steering Committee for Sculpture Walk, as a juror for ArtPop and was the Coordinator of the award-winning Peoria Art Guild Fine Art Fair. She is very involved in the community, serving as a Board Member for the Community Foundation of Central Illinois, The Dirksen Congressional Center, and Arts Alliance Illinois. A graduate of the University of Iowa (B.A.), Western Illinois University (M.A.) and the Alliance Francaise in Paris, Ms. Peterson is the staff liaison for the Public Arts Advisory Commission and always looking for ways to integrate and promote the arts in City planning and projects.

Fadi Rustom
Attorney | Hall, Rustom, & Fritz

Joe Spanier
River City Labs

Nicole Sutherland
Marketing Manager | Cullinan Properties
As Marketing Manager at Cullinan Properties, Nicole is responsible for implementation of marketing strategies for projects and developments such as Levee District, EastPort Plaza, East Court Village and all Peoria area office properties. Nicole also manages all aspects of Cullinan Properties’ presence at regional and national industry trade shows including on-site coordination and vendor relations. She brings more than 10 years of marketing and event management experience to the team.
Prior to joining Cullinan Properties in 2011, Nicole was an Event Manager at the Peoria Civic Center. There, she was an integral part of the Event Services team specializing in exhibit hall, theater, arena and meeting space management. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree from Illinois State University.
Nicole is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Along with her fellow marketing team members, she has been the recipient of three American Advertising Awards. Active in the Peoria community, Nicole currently serves on the Board of Directors for ArtsPartners of Central Illinois and Springdale Historical Preservation Foundation while also lending her time to volunteer committees throughout the area. A graduate of the Peoria Chamber of Commerce's 43rd Annual Leadership School, Nicole has also been recognized as one of Peoria Magazine’s 40 Leaders Under Forty.
Our Partners
Thank you to our funders! The Peoria Civic Center Authority and City of Peoria have committed a portion of collected restaurant tax to ArtsPartners as an economic investment, recognizing that a rich cultural environment is an economic benefit to the entire Peoria area.
Additionally, ArtsPartners is partially funded by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Additional Thanks to All Our Partners
These partners help us execute our mission through their time, energy, support, resources, in-kind services, and donations.
- Adam R. & Michelle R. Nielsen Ott
- Adams Outdoor Advertising
- ADJD/MAXAM
- Alissa Williams
- Americans for the Arts
- Amy Whiting-McCoy
- Arts Alliance Illinois
- Barbara Waldorf
- Benevity Community Impact Fund
- Bernard and Barb Drake
- Bill & Becky Moore
- Blick Art Materials
- Bradley University – Smith Career Center
- Busey Bank Charitable
- Caterpillar Foundation
- CEFCU
- Christine Varga-Harris and Glen Harris
- Christopher & Georgia Glynn
- City of Peoria
- Community Foundation of Central Illinois
- Connie Iglesias
- Corn Stock Theatre
- Craig Stocks
- Cynthia Merrill
- David Vernon
- Dawn Maloney
- Dean Hefta
- Discover Peoria
- Doug and Eileen Leunig
- Drew Velde Gay
- EPIC
- Eric Gordon
- Ev & Sue Freeberg
- Farnsworth Group, Inc. Engineers & Architects
- Fisher Stolz
- Frannie Heine
- Glenn Zipp
- Greater Peoria Economic Development Council
- Hannah Pavlisin
- Helene Petersen
- Hiral Hudson
- Hunter Vaughn
- Illinois Arts Council Agency
- Illinois Small Business Development Center
- Iron Front LLC
- J Derel Monteith Jr
- Jay Babin
- Jeff Heintzman
- Jennie Hawkey
- Jennifer Jacobson-Wood
- Joe and Michele Richey
- John Heintzman
- Kagan Masters
- Karlo Sy Su
- Kelleen Nitsch
- Kevin Tyrrell
- Kip & Ann Strasma
- Kottemann Family
- Kristan McKinsey
- Lara Kline
- Lawrence Haptas
- Lidia Riley
- Linda VonBehren
- Lisa Chasteen
- Local Arts Network Council
- Lynette and Joel Steger
- Brandon & Sarah Mooberry
- Maralyn Owen
- Mark Nickerson
- Martha Woelfle
- Mary Jo Papich
- Mary S. Grawey
- Maui Jim Inc.
- McLean County Arts Council
- Megan Yockey Pedigo
- Morgan Stanley Foundation
- Nancy Wiles
- Pam & Perry Johnson
- Paradice Hotel & Casino
- Peoria Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Peoria Magazines
- Peoria Riverfront Museum
- Peoria Women’s Club
- Per Ellingson
- Prairie Center of the Arts
- River City Labs
- Ross Miller
- Sandy Stemler
- Sarah Coulter
- Scott Mitchell
- SCORE Peoria
- Sharon A Giannetto
- Steven Marx
- Studios on Sheridan
- The Peoria Art Guild
- Tom Boylan
- Tracey Greenwood
- UnityPoint Health
- WCBU 89.9 Peoria Public Radio
- York Phillips
This list reflects information from the 2019-2020 Fiscal Year.

Our Publications
Over the years, ArtsPartners has produced the following informational arts resources that highlight public art and local artists, and arts and the economy. Hard copies can be requested in person at the ArtsPartners office. Additionally, digital downloads are available below.
Policies & Statements