Coles County Arts Council
Promoting the Arts in Coles County Since 1984
This public exhibition showcasing the work of Coles County Arts Council member artists was held in the main floor galleries of the Link Art Gallery in Paris, Illinois. An Opening Reception with light refreshments was held Friday, September 3, 2021, from 5:00 – 6:30 pm.
Founded as a division of Charleston CAN (Community Action Network) in 2023, Arts CAN is a volunteer organization with a mission to promote, celebrate and make the arts integral to life in Charleston. Recent projects include the Butterfly Sculpture Initiative: Charleston Takes Flight, and the annual Christmas Miniatures Show: Art in the Heart which had its third incarnation in 2025 and will be back in 2026. Summer of 2026 will bring a mural project based on the Untold Stories of Women Workers at Charleston's Brown Shoe Factory. Our ultimate goal is to create a public arts space for Charleston residents to learn, practice and encounter the arts in all their splendid variety: visual, lively and literary.
Arts CAN is grateful for the partnership of the Coles County Arts Council and the guidance of the Mapping Staff at the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs.
Arts CAN normally meets on the first Wednesday of each month at the Pine Honors College, EIU. Check us out on Facebook!
Recognizing the need for creative people to meet and share inspirations, Arts CAN is piloting a Makers Circle. Members can bring a project they are currently working on or join others in a little experimental painting, collage etc. with materials brought by volunteers. No classes, no projects, no pressure—just a chance to meet, encourage one another and chat. The group is open to adults 18 and over and meets on the last Sunday of the month from 2:30-4:30. Updates on locations (we are currently itinerant) will appear on Arts CAN’s Facebook page.