Every day throughout October, ArtsPartners of Central Illinois salutes local business leaders who give their insights as to why the arts mean business in central Illinois.

In conjunction with National Arts and Humanities Month, ArtsPartners of Central Illinois will unveil a series of arts slides focusing on the theme, “The Arts Mean Business!“

Because Illinois’ nonprofit arts industry alone supports more than 78,000 jobs and contributes over $2.7 billion to our creative economy, ArtsPartners will be highlighting central Illinois business leaders throughout October as they offer their insights regarding the value of the arts to the central Illinois economy. To see the arts slides, ArtsPartners encourages central Illinoisans to “like” ArtsPartners’ Facebook page prior to October at http://www.facebook.com/artspartners.

As community partners with the ArtsPartners’ marketing campaign, both WTVP-TV and WEEK-TV have also agreed to air the slides throughout October and the Peoria Civic Center will show the slides on their outdoor marquee located at the corner of William Kumpf Boulevard and Adams Streets.

Also in celebration of National Arts and Humanities month, WTVP-TV will air a second season of the popular series, “Illinois: Arts In The Works,” which showcases over a dozen central Illinois artists working behind-the-scenes as they hone their craft.

Other activities planned for the month-long arts celebration include a Citywide Celebration of Women Artists that will be held community galleries, studios, colleges and organizations in Peoria, Peoria Heights, Dunlap and Morton, Illinois from October 15 through November 15, 2013.

For more information, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/artspartners.