About

Welcome to the Illinois Women Artists Project, a unique gathering place to recognize and appreciate the work and experiences of Illinois women artists active between 1818 and 2018. We focus on art, history, women and Illinois.

We invite you to read the artists’ stories, search the Illinois Women Artists database, view online exhibits, read essays, find teaching resources and more. This is meant as a research and learning tool for amateur and professional historians alike, and a place to share new research and ideas–please share information you have with us so that others can benefit and learn. 

The mission of the Illinois Women Artists Project is to honor the creativity of our female forebears in this state in order to inspire women of today to explore their own creativity and to generate a more accurate history of art in Illinois. The vision of the Illinois Women Artists Project is to link Illinois women of today with their artistic heritage and provide a cultural foundation on which they can build.