About us

Welcome to a collaboration between two not-for-profit organizations from Springfield, Illinois.

The Prairie Art Alliance is an art gallery and school committed to fostering community awareness of and participation in the visual arts representing emerging and established Central Illinois artists of all ages.
www.prairieart.org

Springfield Poets and Writers is a literary organization that inspires and supports the literary arts in Central Illinois and around the world with readings, a literary calendar, an international teen poetry anthology and more.
www.springfieldpoetsandwriters.com


How It Works:
Talent from Springfield Poets and Writers and Prairie Art Alliance merge for unique and inspiring evenings called Poets and Painters. In 2012, local musicians were invited to participate in the program also.

The original Poets and Painters included a poetry reading of poems written by SPW members who in the proceeding months visited the gallery and selected one PAA juried artist's piece to create a poem from. At the poetry reading and reception, each poet came forward to the mic and read their poem while the art they used as inspiration was presented and the artist introduced. These were magical evenings with wine and hors d'oeuvres. The second program, called Poets and Painters Reverse, included SPW members creating poems that once posted online, PAA members selected one to inspire them to create a piece of art from. The art was then displayed for a month at the PAA gallery. A reception was held with the art highlighted and a short artist talk, the poem used for inspiration read, and wine and hors d'oeuvres served. In 2012, the format includes both types of programs, plus the inclusion of musicians into the mix. We call it "all ways" - three groups finding inspiration from each others' works.

Poems and art are posted to this site to share with family, friends, and the public after each reception. (Poems only are posted to this site prior to a reception for artists and musicians to select from.)

Note: Prairie Art Alliance has two galleries - H.D. Smith Gallery at the Hoogland Center for the Arts and Gallery II located on the south side of the Old Capitol Plaza. Both downtown Springfield locations are usually alternated.