ECC Arts Center Awarded Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts

Tags: Accomplishment | Arts Center
Published 01/22/2025
The monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery

The monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery

The Elgin Community College (ECC) Arts Center is proud to announce that it has received a $10,000 Challenge America award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

This grant will support a residency with The Mystical Arts of Tibet world tour featuring the monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery, promoting world peace and healing by sharing Tibet’s sacred and visual arts.

During the five-day residency, which runs from April 8 to 12, the Tibetan monks will participate in a variety of activities open to the public, featuring rituals, ceremonies, and lectures on Tibetan meditation, philosophy, art, and culture.

“We are honored and grateful to have been selected as a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Challenge America Award,” said Tommy Hensel, senior director of performing arts at Elgin Community College. “This grant affirms our commitment to educating our community about diverse cultures and underscores the importance of showcasing perspectives and art forms from around the world to help foster global understanding.”

The NEA will award 272 Challenge America awards nationwide, totaling $2,720,000, as part of its fiscal year 2025 grants.

A highlight of the residency is the creation of a sand mandala by the Tibetan monks, a traditional Tibetan Buddhist art form that involves creating intricate designs using colored sand. The geometric patterns and colors represent a map that transforms the ordinary human mind into an enlightened one.

The residency culminates on Saturday, April 12, at 7 pm with the performance “Sacred Music, Sacred Chants for Peace and Healing,” which combines traditional multiphonic chanting and sacred music into an unforgettable experience.

For more information and to purchase tickets for “Sacred Music, Sacred Chants for Peace and Healing,” go to eccartscenter.org or call the Box Office at 847-622-0300.

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