July 12, 2026: Underused spaces in churches will become beautiful places as part of a new Art in Sacred Spaces initiative in Evanston, Ill.
Max Li, a consultant working on the project, said five churches will be chosen this summer for the first phase. They will be matched with artists in the fall, and city officials are hoping for a match made in heaven.
Matches will be made carefully, Li said.
“That could be highly successful based on the space they have to use, whether for performances or for rehearsals or for music,” he told the Evanston RoundTable.
The city previously tried and failed to launch such an initiative a decade ago with national organization Partners for Sacred Places.
Houses of worship and artists are invited to participate in a survey by August 22, 2026, to begin the process.
For both groups, anything is possible, said Li, a Chicago-based interdisciplinary artist.
An artist studio could be a long-term partnership while a performance could be once-and-done, he said.
“I do think the analysis part will help us to see the supply and demand trends,” Li said. “There will be a sort of process of balancing and calibrating our approach.”
Artists & Churches Could Be Match Made in Heaven
Artists and churches face interlocking challenges, the city said in a statement.
Artists struggle to find affordable and appropriate places to bring people together to be creative, and churches are seeking new ways to liven up their facilities, strengthen neighborhood relationships, and sustain their missions, city officials said.
“Artists consistently told us that access to space remains one of the greatest barriers to sustaining a creative practice,” said Juelle Daley, arts & cultural engagement specialist for Evanston. “At the same time, many congregations are looking for meaningful ways to engage their neighborhoods and make fuller use of their existing spaces. Arts in Sacred Spaces explores how those needs might be brought together through thoughtful partnerships.”
Participating congregations will benefit from a robust capacity-building program designed to support long-term success through:
- Peer learning
- Workshops
- Practical tools
- Collaborative planning
- Cultural pilot projects
Together, these resources will help support and sustain long-term partnerships between artists and houses of worship, said a statement from the city.
The Bright Side
When two groups of people dedicated to their separate passions have needs that the other group can fulfill, it’s a match made in heaven.
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To read another story about how art can change the world, read about how students are creating art to fight divisiveness in society.
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