In 2020, the Ellwood House Museum and the DeKalb County History Center started a project highlighting the diverse history of DeKalb County. This year’s Arts in Action exhibition focuses on the area's Black and Latino history. It opens June 27 at Ellwood House Museum.
Audrey King, the assistant director and chief curator at Ellwood House Museum, said the “Power of Place” photo exhibition highlights the role of local churches.
“Even though that wasn't the original intention,” King explained, “to focus on places of worship, these locations, of course, are so meaningful to so many people, and so the stories ended up kind of starting there.”
DeKalb’s St. Mary’s Church and Sycamore’s Israel of God Church are featured. The photographer is Northern Illinois University graduate Jayla Trenyce.
“We wanted her to run with this exhibit and really make it hers as an artist,” King said, “as a photographer, to tell the story that she felt stood out to her as she was doing the project.”
King said outside of the exhibition, Arts in Action will bring two new pieces of public art.
“Which is something brand new,” she said, “and so, along with the exhibit that's opening this weekend, we have the unveiling of a new sculpture and historic sign that are going to be in DeKalb's historic Third Ward Pleasant Street neighborhood.”
There will also a historic sign displayed in Sycamore.
The nonprofits were given $20,000 through a Healing Illinois grant for this year’s Arts and Action initiative. The grant helps with projects that focus on racial healing.
Healing Illinois is funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services in partnership with The Field Foundation of Illinois.
