Illinois Public Media

Arts and Culture

A photograph of a bicycle on the Illinois Prairie Path, which is part of the Grand Illinois Trail (inset map).

Biking 500 miles on the Grand Illinois Trail

 The Grand Illinois Trail aims to connect Northern Illinois by bicycle. It spans more than 500 miles, from Chicago to the Quad Cities and back. And after 30 years of planning, it’s almost done. “The 21st Show” talks with Sara Egan of Openlands, which is pushing to get the project across the finish line.
IPM Newsroom
Black Music Month performance by Certified Organic, June 4, 2026 at the Gallery Art Bar starting at 7:30pm.
Illinois Classical
Illinois Classical 90.9

Your home for Classical and more in Central Illinois.
Atomic Age Cocktail Party
Atomic Age logo with an illustration of small upright organ. Text reads

Hi-Fi Hammond (165)
This week, on The Atomic Age Cocktail Party, it’s Hi-Fi Hammond. Another deep dive into the great organ players of the hi-fi era with a focus on those who played those…
Dialogue
man speaking and Obama Presidential Center

Get a sneak peak of the new Obama Presidential Center, then listen his 2004 interview with WILL-radio
IPM's Reginald Hardwick leads you on a tour of the grounds of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Then we listen to then-State Sen. Obama on WILL-AM.
Weather Realness

How weather forecasting evolved from guesswork to science
Weather forecasts are a part of everyday life, but predicting the weather was once considered impossible. Learn how meteorology evolved from early observations and hand…
Weather Realness
Summer officially kicks off Friday, June 20, and with it, will come higher temperatures and humidity, which can be hazardous to both human health and agricultural ecosystems.

What summer weather could look like in Illinois this year
Summer isn’t always just hot. From thunderstorms and flash floods, summer can bring a variety of hazards. We talk about what Illinois residents can expect for the months…
The 21st Show
Damola Adamolekun

Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun on cultural significance of the chain and revamping strategies after facing bankruptcy
Red Lobster's CEO Damola Adamolekun talks about his personal life experiences, what made the restaurant chain so iconic, and how it plans to make a comeback amid closings…
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
man sitting at computer

Behind The Mic:  Newsroom editor Arjun Thakkar thinks public media is integral in combatting information overload
At Illinois Public Media, Arjun Thakkar helps reporters with story pitches, sources, and final editing, and sometimes reports stories himself.
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…