Illinois Public Media

Arts and Culture

Painting of two woman in a boat with ducks

Music_for_Summertime

 With recent storms serving as a reminder of summer's power, this season finale of Prairie Performances features music inspired by the warmth, energy, and unpredictability of the season.
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Illinois Classical
Illinois Classical 90.9

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

The Story Behind Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man”
As we mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year, countless musical organizations are programming concerts dedicated to American…
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…