Union League Club 65 W Jackson Blvd Chicago, IL 60604 phone: 312.435.5961 email: info@luminarts.org
The Luminarts Cultural Foundation cultivates Chicago’s vibrant arts community by supporting exemplary young artists through its competitive programs that offer financial awards, artistic opportunities, and mentoring that bridge the gap between education and career.
Founded in 1949 as the Union League Civic & Arts Foundation (CAF), Luminarts Cultural Foundation was created by members of the Union League Club of Chicago as a separate, not-for-profit organization. Deeply rooted in the Union League Club of Chicago, Luminarts strengthens the cultural community of Chicago by upholding the club’s century-long tradition of advocating for the arts. Luminarts is dedicated to encouraging our city’s outstanding young artists so that their emerging talent might be heard in performance halls, read within libraries and homes, and exhibited in galleries, museums, and the hallowed walls of the Union League Club.
Be sure to subscribe to our email list and receive updates regarding program announcements, Fellows, events, and the monthly Luminarts Letter!
Luminarts welcomes talented young artists of all social, economic and cultural backgrounds. As a young visual artist, musician, vocalist, or writer from the Chicago area, we invite and encourage you to compete for grants, creative opportunities, and to become Luminarts Fellows.
Non Discriminatory Statement and Commitment to Equity
Luminarts is committed to ensuring equity within its programs and welcomes applicants, artists, audience members, and supporters regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, class, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or citizenship status.
Luminarts works directly with artists, jurors, and attendees to make accommodations as needed and holds events at various spaces which are accessible. To request accommodations for Luminarts’ programs or events, please contact Luminarts at info@luminarts.org.
The Luminarts Fellowship includes programs in Visual Arts, Creative Writing, Classical Music, and Jazz. Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 30 and live or reside within 150 miles of the Chicago Loop. Once an artist is awarded a Luminarts Fellowship, they are eligible to apply for additional opportunities for a period of 10 years. These opportunities include project grants, workshops, mentorship, and facilitated conversations that provide valuable insights into building a successful career in the arts.
Thank you to all who applied for 2025 Fellowships! 2026 Fellowship Applications will be available in October 2025 and due in early 2026.
Luminarts Fellows may apply for funding of artistic projects for up to 10 years after they win their initial Fellowship. While Project Grants aim to support a broad and diverse scope of career development opportunities for Fellows, Project Grant proposals are strongest when they demonstrate a significant and pivotal impact both on the individual Fellow and on the Chicago region specifically. Applying for a project grant is a competitive process and not all applicants can be funded.
Note: you must first be awarded a Luminarts Fellowship in order to be eligible for a project grant.
Deadline
Applications must be submitted in full by October 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM CT.
For questions about project grants click below or contact Alex Benjamin, Director of Programs, at alex@luminarts.org or call (312) 435-5961.
Luminarts Fellows are eligible to apply for $2,500 awards in support of being ambassadors for the Luminarts Cultural Foundation beyond the Chicago region.
The Luminarts Cultural Foundation will accept funding proposals from Luminarts Fellows who have significant projects (performances, exhibitions, readings, etc.) in major markets outside of the Chicago area whereby they will highlight the Luminarts Cultural Foundation’s support in tandem with their outstanding talent.
While the available funds should be of benefit to the Luminarts Fellow, a primary goal of this funding is to raise awareness of the Luminarts Cultural Foundation outside of the Chicago region. In accordance with this, awards will be distributed based on the following criteria:
Ambassador Guidelines
We are not currently accepting applications for the Ambassador Award.
Sponsored by Cherilyn G. Murer
Luminarts Fellows are invited, on a revolving basis, to two annual residency programs for 15 artists each: one at Ragdale Foundation Lake Forest, IL and one at Ox-Bow School of Art and Artists’ Residency in Saugatuck, MI. Each residency includes an artist stipend, mentorship, professional development, studio visits, meals and lodging, and unscheduled time to work on projects which residents may not otherwise have the time or resources to complete. Programming is paired with the opportunity to be in community with other Luminarts Fellows, and to connect with professional artists, staff members, and supporters.
Knowing that many residencies have historically been out of reach for artists of color, low income artists, and other marginalized identities due to location, cost, and systemic racism, we work to ensure that all of our Fellows have access to both residencies on a revolving basis.
Luminarts Cultural Foundation cultivates Chicago’s vibrant arts community by supporting exemplary young artists through its competitive programs that offer financial awards, artistic opportunities, and mentoring that bridge the gap between education and career.
Luminarts is a 501(c)(3) organization, EIN 36-2446421. Gifts to Luminarts are tax deductible.
Attn: Christina Demarea
Luminarts Cultural Foundation
65 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604-3598
Are you a member of the Union League Club of Chicago? If you are a Union League Club of Chicago Member and would like to use your ULC Member Number to make a contribution please contact Luminarts at (312) 435-5961 or info@luminarts.org to provide your ULC Member Number and contribution amount.
Questions or comments? Please contact Christina DeMarea, Executive Director, at christina@luminarts.org or 312.435.5961
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You can view our 2024 donor list here.
This list reflects gifts made between January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. Luminarts sincerely apologizes for any omissions or spelling errors. Please contact Christina DeMarea, Executive Director, at (312) 435-5961 or christina@luminarts.org with any corrections.