On this week's episode of Out and About, Dr. Mae Gilliland Wright of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois talks with Peoria Fashion Week co-founder Chanel Hargrave-Murray about the exciting events taking place April 2-6 at Expo Gardens.

On this week's episode of Out and About, Dr. Mae Gilliland Wright of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois talks with Peoria Fashion Week co-founder Chanel Hargrave-Murray about the exciting events taking place April 2-6 at Expo Gardens.

A weekly spotlight on arts activities in Central Illinois. Every Friday, host Mae Gilliland Wright of Arts Partners of Central Illinois talks with area actors, musicians, artists and community leaders about an upcoming arts event. Out and About is supported, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

A weekly spotlight on arts activities in Central Illinois. Every Friday, host Mae Gilliland Wright of Arts Partners of Central Illinois talks with area actors, musicians, artists and community leaders about an upcoming arts event. Out and About is supported, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

Out and About

A weekly spotlight on arts activities in Central Illinois. Each week, host Mae Gilliland Wright of Arts Partners of Central Illinois talks with area actors, musicians, artists and community leaders about an upcoming arts event. Out and About is supported, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

A weekly spotlight on arts activities in Central Illinois. Each week, host Mae Gilliland Wright of Arts Partners of Central Illinois talks with area actors, musicians, artists and community leaders about an upcoming arts event. Out and About is supported, in part, by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.

From high fashion to street fashion, Peoria Fashion Week is back

Marker 05

On this week’s episode of Out and About, Mae Gilliland of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois talks with Jennifer Brady, co-founder of the Peoria Area Repair Café, about the group’s next free community repair event taking place Sept. 12 at River City Labs.

The Peoria Repair Café invites visitors to bring gently broken household or personal items and work alongside volunteer repair coaches to diagnose problems, learn new skills and, when possible, give those objects a second life. Volunteers bring expertise ranging from sewing and textiles to small appliances, lawn equipment, sharpening and other hands-on repairs.

Brady says the experience is about more than simply getting something fixed. “It is not just a drop-it-off. It’s a, let’s diagnose this together,” she said. “Let me show you how to take things apart, what’s inside and it’s a skill sharing.”

That exchange of knowledge also brings a creative element to the process, encouraging participants to look differently at familiar objects, understand how they were made and discover what might be possible with a little bit of ingenuity. At the same time, repairing rather than replacing can have a measurable environmental impact. Brady says the group kept approximately 20 pounds of material out of the landfill during its first event, compared with about 200 pounds at its most recent.

The events have also created connections among volunteers who might have otherwise never met, building a community around the satisfaction of making, mending and problem-solving together.

The Peoria Area Repair Café takes place Saturday, Sept. 12, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at River City Labs. The event is free, and no appointment is necessary. 

On this week&rsquo;s episode of&nbsp;Out and About, Mae Gilliland of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois talks with Jennifer Brady, co-founder of the Peoria Area Repair Caf&eacute;, about the group&rsquo;s next free community repair event taking place Sept. 12 at River City Labs.
The Peoria Repair Caf&eacute; invites visitors to bring gently broken household or personal items and work alongside volunteer repair coaches to diagnose problems, learn new skills and, when possible, give those objects a second life. Volunteers bring expertise ranging from sewing and textiles to small appliances, lawn equipment, sharpening and other hands-on repairs.
Brady says the experience is about more than simply getting something fixed. &ldquo;It is not just a drop-it-off. It&rsquo;s a, let&rsquo;s diagnose this together,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Let me show you how to take things apart, what&rsquo;s inside and it&rsquo;s a skill sharing.&rdquo;
That exchange of knowledge also brings a creative element to the process, encouraging participants to look differently at familiar objects, understand how they were made and discover what might be possible with a little bit of ingenuity. At the same time, repairing rather than replacing can have a measurable environmental impact. Brady says the group kept approximately 20 pounds of material out of the landfill during its first event, compared with about 200 pounds at its most recent.
The events have also created connections among volunteers who might have otherwise never met, building a community around the satisfaction of making, mending and problem-solving together.
<a href="https://www.peoriarepaircafe.org/event/repair-cafe-at-river-city-labs-2026/">The Peoria Area Repair Caf&eacute; takes place Saturday, Sept. 12, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at River City Labs.</a> The event is free, and no appointment is necessary.&nbsp;

Peoria Area Repair Café coming to River City Labs Sept. 12

Marker 04

On this week’s episode of Out and About, Mae Gilliland of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois talks with David Commanday, artistic director and conductor of the Heartland Festival Orchestra, about the HFO’s upcoming season, opening Sept. 11 at Crossroads Global Methodist Church in Washington.

The opening concert returns to the foundations of classical music with Mozart alongside Bruch’s beloved Violin Concerto in G Minor, featuring HFO concertmaster Ji Myung Kim as soloist. Commanday says the program was designed to remind audiences of what draws them to a symphony orchestra in the first place. “You can’t do much better than Mozart,” he said. “The magical beauty of Mozart’s music, it attracts everyone.”

The season also marks a period of transition and exploration for the orchestra, including performances in new venues. Upcoming programs include a Baroque concert featuring Bach, Handel and Albinoni, an intimate chamber music program, and a season finale featuring Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, a work performed on the HFO’s inaugural program in 2009.

At the center of the season is Frank and Frankie, a January concert at Five Points Washington celebrating the music of Frank Sinatra and Frankie Valli. Broadway performers Sal Viviano and Julie Benko will join the orchestra for an evening drawing from the Great American Songbook.

Subscriptions are currently available in various packages, with individual adult ticket prices reduced from last season. The Heartland Festival Orchestra opens its 2026-27 season Sept. 11 at Crossroads Global Methodist Church in Washington.

On this week&rsquo;s episode of Out and About, Mae Gilliland of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois talks with David Commanday, artistic director and conductor of the Heartland Festival Orchestra, about the HFO&rsquo;s upcoming season, opening Sept. 11 at Crossroads Global Methodist Church in Washington.
The opening concert returns to the foundations of classical music with Mozart alongside Bruch&rsquo;s beloved Violin Concerto in G Minor, featuring HFO concertmaster Ji Myung Kim as soloist. Commanday says the program was designed to remind audiences of what draws them to a symphony orchestra in the first place. &ldquo;You can&rsquo;t do much better than Mozart,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The magical beauty of Mozart&rsquo;s music, it attracts everyone.&rdquo;
The season also marks a period of transition and exploration for the orchestra, including performances in new venues. Upcoming programs include a Baroque concert featuring Bach, Handel and Albinoni, an intimate chamber music program, and a season finale featuring Tchaikovsky&rsquo;s Serenade for Strings, a work performed on the HFO&rsquo;s inaugural program in 2009.
At the center of the season is Frank and Frankie, a January concert at Five Points Washington celebrating the music of Frank Sinatra and Frankie Valli. Broadway performers Sal Viviano and Julie Benko will join the orchestra for an evening drawing from the Great American Songbook.
Subscriptions are currently available in various packages, with individual adult ticket prices reduced from last season. <a href="https://www.heartlandfestivalorchestra.org/concerts-and-events">The Heartland Festival Orchestra</a> opens its 2026-27 season Sept. 11 at Crossroads Global Methodist Church in Washington.

Heartland Festival Orchestra opens new season Sept. 11 in Washington

On this week’s episode of Out and About, Mae Gilliland of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois talks with Joyce Blank, quilt show co-chair for Gems of the Prairie Quilters, about the group’s annual quilt show taking place Aug. 22 and 23 at the Life Together Center in Peoria.

Featuring more than 300 quilts created by local quilters, the show highlights a wide range of styles, sizes, techniques and traditions. Visitors can also explore quilting demonstrations, shop from 15 vendors and experience a traditional “bed turning,” where quilts are layered on a bed and revealed one at a time as their stories are shared.

Blank says the show offers an opportunity to appreciate the incredible talent found throughout Central Illinois. “It’s just quite an experience to see all of these beautiful quilts that the women and men of this area make,” she said.

The guild’s work also extends well beyond the annual show. Members create quilts and other handmade items for organizations including the Children’s Hospital of Illinois and the Center for Prevention of Abuse. The show will also include Quilts of Valor presentations honoring veterans and service members with handmade quilts created as an expression of gratitude for their service.

For those who have never quilted themselves, Blank says there is still plenty to appreciate. “Hopefully they will appreciate the time and the effort and the skill that went into making all of these quilts,” she said. “Plus, it’s just eye candy to look at.”

The Gems of the Prairie Quilt Show takes place Aug. 22 and 23 at the Life Together Center in Peoria. 

On this week&rsquo;s episode of Out and About, Mae Gilliland of ArtsPartners of Central Illinois talks with Joyce Blank, quilt show co-chair for Gems of the Prairie Quilters, about the group&rsquo;s annual quilt show taking place Aug. 22 and 23 at the Life Together Center in Peoria.
Featuring more than 300 quilts created by local quilters, the show highlights a wide range of styles, sizes, techniques and traditions. Visitors can also explore quilting demonstrations, shop from 15 vendors and experience a traditional &ldquo;bed turning,&rdquo; where quilts are layered on a bed and revealed one at a time as their stories are shared.
Blank says the show offers an opportunity to appreciate the incredible talent found throughout Central Illinois. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s just quite an experience to see all of these beautiful quilts that the women and men of this area make,&rdquo; she said.
The guild&rsquo;s work also extends well beyond the annual show. Members create quilts and other handmade items for organizations including the Children&rsquo;s Hospital of Illinois and the Center for Prevention of Abuse. The show will also include Quilts of Valor presentations honoring veterans and service members with handmade quilts created as an expression of gratitude for their service.
For those who have never quilted themselves, Blank says there is still plenty to appreciate. &ldquo;Hopefully they will appreciate the time and the effort and the skill that went into making all of these quilts,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Plus, it&rsquo;s just eye candy to look at.&rdquo;
<a href="https://gemsoftheprairie.com/">The Gems of the Prairie Quilt Show</a> takes place Aug. 22 and 23 at the Life Together Center in Peoria.&nbsp;

From high fashion to street fashion, Peoria Fashion Week is back

In 1 playlist(s)

Out and About

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips