The Elgin Group 2026 - Call for Local Music and Performance Artists
Work Together, Produce Independent Performance Art
We have 3 - 5 spots for local musical and performance art acts to perform at our group showcase at the Elgin Art Showcase in October.
Bands, Solo Acts, One-Act Plays, Comedians, Drag and Dance, ect, are welcome to apply. We will choose acts based on coordinating a show with variety and highlighting BIPOC and Queer artists.
Deadline - August 30, 2026
Thank you!
Our 3 featured artists for 2026 have been chosen. Thank you to all of our applicants. Visit our community partner Current Cloud for more opportunities for artists.
Everyone deserves to feel like a star.
About The Elgin Group (TEG) - A loose collective of performing artists from and around the Elgin Area, working together to produce independent performance art, offering their community thoughtful live content.
Funding provided in part by Elevating Equity, a grant making program in Elgin IL, supporting racial equity and justice for marginalized people.
Original shows; Truly thoughtful arttists!
Great performance art can come from artists of any background. Each artist has a unique combination of skills that make their show possible. These original shows help us understand the importance of local performance art and how it can provide therapeutic outlets to artists and audiences at any stage of their lives.
Qualifications - Artists of any age, skill level and background are welcome. Must live within 30 miles of Downtown Elgin. Priority will be given to artists who reside in the City of Elgin. Because of the nature of this program to promote diverse voices and elevate marginalized people, artists who are BIPOC, Queer, or disabled/of different abilities, are encouraged to apply and will be prioritized.
Outcomes - Artists will produce an original 30 - 45 minute show they will perform at the October Artist Showcase. The artist will have created a marketing package, helped with ticket sales to help make the showcase a success. Digital recordings of those performances will be filmed and uploaded to an online archive of TEG shows.
About the Coordinator - Adrian Mesino is an artist / illustrator from Elgin, IL Mesino collaborates with a variety of artists in the Chicagoland area, producing low resource art and performance exhibitions for his community.
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