The Hopewell Arts Collaborative, in partnership with North Central Illinois ARTworks, is a non-competitive community for artists and artisans of all ages and skill levels in the Starved Rock and Illinois River Valley region. Whether you're a hobbyist, a semi-professional, or a full-time artist, you have a place here.
Mission
Our primary goal is to foster a vibrant and supportive creative community. We believe that by cooperating, not competing, we can collectively grow the market for art in our region. This group is a place to connect, collaborate, and learn from one another.
About Our Region
The Starved Rock and Illinois River Valley communities are defined by a landscape of breathtaking natural beauty and a history of human ingenuity. Our region is a crossroads of prairie and river ecosystems, home to dramatic canyons, bluffs, and forests that have inspired creatives for generations. From the historic downtowns of Ottawa and Peru to the rural tranquility of our smaller towns, this area is filled with hardworking people and a burgeoning creative spirit that we aim to nurture and promote as a premier art destination.
A Connection to the Hopewell Tradition
Our name pays tribute to the Hopewell tradition, an ancient network of Native American communities that flourished in this very region between 100 BCE and 500 CE. The Hopewell people were renowned for their exquisite craftsmanship and an extensive trade network that stretched across the continent. They were master artisans who created sophisticated works of art from materials like copper, obsidian, and mica, demonstrating a collaborative and resourceful spirit that we strive to emulate. The Hopewell Arts Collaborative is a modern-day echo of their artistic lineage, built on the belief that a community of shared knowledge and a collective purpose can lead to incredible things.
What We Do
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Skill-Sharing & Workshops: We encourage members to share their expertise. We'll host workshops on a variety of topics, from mastering new techniques and mediums to the business side of being a professional artist, including marketing, pricing, and client relations.
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Community Meetups: We organize regular gatherings for artists to work together. This could be a communal creative session, where we work on a shared project, or an independent session in a group setting, providing a quiet space to focus alongside fellow creatives.
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Networking & Collaboration: We help artists connect with each other to form a supportive network. Our goal is to build relationships that lead to joint projects, shared studio spaces, and collaborative events that elevate the entire regional art scene.
