Lack of funds shuts down Barrington Area Arts Council

For the past five years, the Barrington Area Arts Council has struggled to find enough money to keep bringing its programs to the community.

Monday, the arts council announced the fight to find funds has been too much to overcome. As of July 31, the arts council is closing its doors for good.

"This was a really difficult decision to make," said Gregory Leifel, the council's board president. "It is really painful and very sad."

For 29 years, the Arts Council has worked toward integrating arts into the community and making sure it is accessible to all ages.

The Arts Council maintains three galleries -- at 121 Barrington Commons Court, at the Barrington Area Library and at the Garlands -- that offer artists the opportunity to showcase their talents. Those exhibitions will also cease.

Leifel said the arts council has gotten its financial support through membership and individual, corporate and foundation contributions, as well as grants from the Illinois Arts Council.

But Leifel said membership has been declining over the past several years. When asked why memberships were not being renewed, Leifel said many people said they just had other priorities.

"We did the best we could, but the last five of six years have been extremely tough on funding," Leifel said. "The numbers just had not been adding up."

The list of programs and events the Arts Council has hosted over the past 30 years is numerous, including annual Father's Day Art Festival, the Young Writers Project, StoryBistro, the annual Fourth of July Run for the Arts and a summer arts camp.

Such programs will not continue unless other sponsors and hosts step in.

"My hope is that people will miss this and find a way to get it going again," Leifel said.

For more information on the Barrington Area Arts Council, visit www.barringtonarts.org.