Illinois Public Media

Arts and Culture

Image of husband-and-wife duo Raphael and Whitney walking on a beach in the sunlight on the left with the Dialogue and Illinois Soul logo on the right

Dialogue’s interview with husband-and-wife singers Raphael and Whitney

 For the third year in a row, Illinois Soul FM 101.1 is throwing a free Juneteenth party at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts Stage 5, and this year it features hometown husband-and-wife duo. IPM's Kimberly Schofield spoke with Raphael and Whitney. The concert takes place June 18, 2026 at 5:30 PM. 
IPM Newsroom
Photo of Raphael & Whitney, who will be performing for the Illinois Soul Juneteenth celebration on June 18 at 5:30pm.
Illinois Classical
Illinois Classical 90.9

Your home for Classical and more in Central Illinois.
Clef Notes

MDSO Names Matthew Sheppard as New Music Director
The Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra has just announced the appointment of Matthew Sheppard as the ensemble’s next music director. Sheppard is well known across Illinois…
Dialogue

Champaign, Danville and Urbana to mark Juneteenth by celebrating Black freedom and families
Champaign and Urbana's Juneteenth celebrations start on June 13. Danville will have events closer to June 19.
The 21st Show
The 21st Show and Illinois Soul logo; portrait of Raphael and Whitney

Raphael & Whitney on their music, their partnership, and revisiting their roots
Illinois-natives Rafael and Whitney are a husband and wife duo known for their soul and R&B vocals and music. They will be performing at this year's Juneteenth festival at…
The 21st Show
a wooden check-mark box; portrait photo of Marvin Slaughter Jr.

Should Illinois pursue reparations for descendants of slavery? Take the survey
As Juneteenth approaches, the debate continues about whether descendants of enslaved Black Americans should receive reparations. In 2022, the city of Evanston, near Chicago,…
The 21st Show
a group of high school students poses in cap-and-gown in front of a building with

Southern Illinois teens graduate high school with associate’s degrees
High school classes can be hard — and so are the first couple years of college. A group of teenagers in southern Illinois did both at the same time —  and…
Prairie Fire

Prairie Fire: Season 3 - Episode 7 - May 2026
For this month's Prairie Fire, students from the University of Illinois’ College of Media spent a semester producing five short documentaries highlighting food, skating,…
News Local/State
woman looking at camera

Behind The Mic: Education reporter Emily Hays loves connecting people through her stories
From covering school districts, politics, campus news, and more, Illinois Public Media reporter Emily Hays is a versatile journalist who loves keeping it local.
State of Change

Small gestures to make a big difference in preserving our planet
We visit a zero-waste general store, a garden bringing a community together in a Chicago food desert, a program protecting pollinators, and advice to increase sustainability…