Vol. 64: Sharing is Caring + ILA Creative Studio Feature

This Month’s Feature: ILA Creative Studio!

Our featured Arts Organization for this month is ILA Creative Studio!

As we close out the month, we’re continuing to lift up ILA Creative Studio for the work that they do for the community.

ILA stands, simply, for “I Love Art,” and through multiple avenues - the Hear We Art™ healing initiative, the G-to-G (Getting To Our Goals) professional development series for artists, the BLACC app, a digital platform designed to connect artists with the resources and information they need, and more - ILA continually demonstrates that love truly is at the center of what they do.

On June 17th, celebrate that love by joining ILA for Black Art Love Affair (BALA) , their annual celebration and fundraiser honoring Black artists and the creative heartbeat of Chicago.

BALA will be an evening filled with sponsored cocktails, delicious eats, a silent art auction, an interactive art installation, and more.

The evening will also include a beautiful awards program for this year’s honorees, including contemporary artist & Black Temporal Surrealism founder Blake Lenoir, Englewood Arts Collective Director Janell Nelson, Little Black Pearl founder Monica Haslip, and legendary artist and founding AfriCOBRA member Robert Earl Paige.

Come through for an experience that will move you.

Date / Time: Wednesday, June 17th, 6:00pm-9:00pm CST

Location: Little Black Pearl, 1060 East 47th Street

Purchase tickets here: ILA - Black Art Love Affair 6/17/26

Can’t attend BALA? There are plenty of other ways to tap in and support.

Follow ILA at @ilacreativestudio on Instagram, and visit their linktree to subscribe to their newsletter, see upcoming programs, and learn more about how to support the work. Also, scroll to the section of our newsletter right after the grant listings to learn more about the BLACC app!