Agencies
Services
Illinois State-Designated Cultural Districts
Program Overview
State-Designated Cultural Districts are communities, towns or specific geographic areas that have a distinct shared historical and cultural identity that binds the community together.
The purpose of this program is to:
- Promote distinct historical and cultural communities
- Encourage economic development and entrepreneurship
- Encourage the preservation and development of historic and culturally significant structures, traditions, and languages
- Foster local cultural development and education
- Provide a focal point for celebrating and strengthening the unique cultural identity of communities
- Promote growth and opportunity without generating displacement or expanding inequality
Pursuant to Public Act 103-006, Designees will be eligible to apply for $3 million in funding tailored to fit the needs of individual Cultural Districts and support the goals of the program to foster economic development and help communities preserve their unique cultural identities.
Public Act 102-0628 created the State Designated Cultural Districts Program.
Program Participants
Governor JB Pritzker and DCEO selected fifteen (15) designees as outlined in statute; these included five (5) designees for each year, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The State-Designated Cultural Districts are:
Designee |
Location |
Economic Development Region |
District Name |
Austin African American Business Networking Association (2025) |
Chicago |
Northeast |
Soul City |
City of Bloomington (2025) |
Bloomington |
North Central |
City of Bloomington’s Downtown Cultural District |
City of Champaign (2023) |
Champaign |
East Central |
North First Street Cultural District |
City of Chicago (2023) |
Chicago |
Northeast |
Bronzeville District |
City of Rockford (2025) |
Rockford |
Northern Stateline |
Heritage District |
Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community (2023) |
Chicago |
Northeast |
Chinatown |
County of Johnson (2025) |
Vienna |
Southern |
Historic District of the City of Vienna |
DevCorp North dba Rogers Park Business Alliance (2024) |
Chicago |
Northeast |
Clark Street/Camino Clark |
Greater Chatham Initiative (2024) |
Chicago |
Northeast |
Mahalia Jackson 79th Street Cultural District |
Little Village Community Foundation Corp (2024) |
Chicago |
Northeast |
Little Village |
Puerto Rican Cultural Center (2023) |
Chicago |
Northeast |
Puerto Rico Town |
Self-Reliance Association (2025) |
Chicago |
Northeast |
Ukrainian Village |
SkyART NFP (2024) |
Chicago |
Northeast |
South Chicago Cultural District |
Springfield Urban League Inc. (2023) |
Springfield |
Central |
Central East Cultural District |
The Springfield Project (2024) |
Springfield |
Central |
The Southtown Cultural District |
