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Arts & Culture

Arts, Design & Culture

Stephenson County values the arts from performances at Winneshiek Theatre to exhibits at the Freeport Art Museum to a good book or lecture at the Freeport Public Library. Explore the many organizations, events and businesses that highlight art, design and culture in Freeport and Stephenson County.

Freeport Art Museum

Established in 1975, The Freeport Art Museum (FAM) is housed in a converted brick school built in 1911. What originally began with the extensive W.T. Rawleigh collection is now home to numerous exhibits from regional and traveling contemporary artists. The museum’s vision is to contribute to the vibrancy and revitalization of Freeport’s community by becoming the region’s foremost resource and destination for art. Stop by to tour the vast collections the Freeport Art Museum has to offer or sign your children up for any number of the arts programs offered!
ADDRESS:
121 N Harlem Ave.
Freeport, IL 61032

Zealous Art Studio & Tattoo

Owned by Josh and Jamie Elliott, this custom tattoo shop and art studio is a staple within the community culture. Established in 2010, the shop moved in 2017 to a historic house appropriately named The Unicorn near downtown Freeport. Stop in for a piercing or ink by their friendly staff – each offering their own unique styling. The lowest level of the converted building houses Elliott Graphix – an extension of the business that offers custom screen printing and signs. Zealous hosts frequent art classes for children and annual events like Tattoo-a-Thon.
ADDRESS:
653 W Stephenson St.
Freeport, IL 61032

Freeport Public Library

Freeport Public Library believes that in many ways a library is like a community living room: a dynamic resource and welcoming destination where people can learn, grow and assemble throughout their lives. Contemporary libraries like this one help individuals and entire communities remain vital and energetic. Freeport Public Library is home to a large collection of book titles (over 110,000), meeting rooms, diverse programs and much more. This library is more than books on a shelf, it’s a meeting place to share culture, history and community.
ADDRESS:
100 E Douglas St.
Freeport, IL 61032

Winneshiek Playhouse

Hailed as one of the oldest, continuous all-volunteer amateur theatres in the nation, Winneshiek Playhouse in downtown Freeport is an organization of people devoted to the development and enjoyment of theatre arts since 1916. The years have seen hundreds of first-rate productions of comedy and drama within the historic walls of this charming venue. Visit their website for the full list of upcoming productions so you can experience the artistry for itself!
ADDRESS:
228 W Clark St.
Freeport, IL 61032

Mighty Richland Players

Located not far from the banks of Richland Creek, The Mighty Richland Players Dessert Theater, also known as MRPDT, was founded in 2001. An amateur community theater, it serves northwest Illinois, southwest Wisconsin, and the surrounding areas. We are a non-profit 501 c (3) organization focused on community entertainment for the area. The cast and crew are all people of the region who give their time and talents to the community theater.
ADDRESS:
203 W. High St.
Orangeville, IL 61060

Children’s Hands-On Museum

Come in & Explore!
Get away from the gadgets and have some real hands-on fun together exploring our interactive exhibits. And it’s okay for grown-ups to play too.
ADDRESS:
1233 W. Galena Ave.
Freeport, IL 61032

Freeport Art Plaza

Work is already underway to provide Freeport with a vibrant, arts-based civic space that will be a key contributor in fostering community engagement, developing art and cultural experiences that help facilitate economic development, and welcoming residents and visitors to Freeport.
ADDRESS:
Chicago Ave.
Freeport, IL 61032

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Spring Break Staycation in Stephenson County March 18, 2024 Whether you have just a few days or a whole week to enjoy, why not turn your spring break into an unforgettable staycation right her in Stephenson County? The perfect break from ordinary can be found without straying too far from home. Krape Park: Nature’s Playground Start your staycation at Krape Park, with a fantastic variety of activities and a […]
Women’s History Month 2024 March 13, 2024 Ashley Huffines, freeport public library, greater freeport partnership, Women's History Month 2024 The Greater Freeport Partnership honors the commemoration of Women’s History Month with a special feature from Ashley Huffines, executive director of the Freeport Public Library. When I think about Women’s History Month in 2024, and this year’s theme, “Women who advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion,” I can’t help but think about advocacy in the library world. Throughout the ten […]
Celebrating Important Things! March 6, 2024 Freeport, greater freeport partnership, Stephenson County On February 22, the Greater Freeport Partnership hosted its annual dinner with over 200 in attendance. We made several changes to our traditional annual dinner format this year, not least of which was adding three awards for a total of nine awards presented during the evening. While many organizations are paring down the number of awards they are presenting, we […]
Guest Column: Black History Month a Reminder to Remain Vigilant February 27, 2024 The Greater Freeport Partnership honors the commemoration of Black History Month with a special feature from James Rhyne, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Freeport & Stephenson County. Although it may finally seem that covid-19 is on the retreat, we must remain vigilant and watchful of the trends that are taking place in our nation, region, and […]