Mission

It is the mission of the Waukegan Arts Council to recognize, support and promote artists and artistic expression that reflect the diverse experiences, traditions, and perspectives that make our city such a rich and dynamic place to live, work, and create.

Vision

As an organization, we are committed to ensuring that all communities, groups, and individuals in Waukegan have opportunities to engage and actively participate in the transformative power of the arts.

Guiding PrinciplE

We believe that Waukegan thrives when the diverse voices of its creative communities are recognized, valued, celebrated, and brought together through collegiality, fellowship, and dialogue.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility

As an organization, the Waukegan Arts Council is committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and access across all aspects of our work and programming.

Diversity encompasses all of the characteristics that make one individual or group different from another, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual identity, age, national origin, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, physical appearance, and any other identifiers that might distinguish one individual or group from another.

Equity seeks to identify and eliminate barriers to full participation. This is achieved through implementation of policies and practices designed to support people in realizing fair and just engagement, treatment, benefits, and opportunities. Equity is different than equality in that equality implies treating everyone as if their experiences are exactly the same. Being equitable means acknowledging and addressing structural inequalities — historic and current — that advantage some and disadvantage others.

Inclusion refers to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, welcomed, and valued. Inclusion means actively seeking out and engaging diverse individuals, communities, and perspectives to ensure participation, representation, and belonging for all.

Accessibility is an active and ongoing commitment to providing all community members with the resources, tools, and support they need to participate in programs, activities, and services. It is the intentional design and implementation of policies and practices that ensure that each person—regardless of ability—has equitable opportunities to engage and contribute.