Warrenville residents can get an early look at how the city distributes hotel tax dollars to local arts and events when the Tourism and Arts Commission opens its fiscal year 2028 grant review cycle Thursday evening.
The commission meets Thursday, July 16, at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 28W701 Stafford Place, for a workshop on the Hotel Tax Grant Program. The agenda, posted Tuesday, July 14, lists the grant workshop as the sole substantive business item. The meeting includes a citizen comments period.
What's at stake
The program distributes up to $150,000 annually in hotel and motel tax revenue to fund community events and arts projects across Warrenville. Per City Council policy, no single funding category can receive more than half the total allocation.
The commission recommended $134,614 for 15 projects in the current FY 2027 cycle. TAC Chairperson Monica Johnson presented that recommendation to the City Council on Monday, January 19, and the council adopted it by voice vote, according to council records.
Past grant recipients have included Warrenville in Bloom, the Warrenville Park District's Multi-Cultural Festival, and Art on the Prairie, with individual awards ranging from about $12,000 to $30,000 in recent cycles.
How the cycle works
Thursday's workshop marks the beginning of the annual process. The commission reviews applications through the fall and winter, then presents its funding recommendations to the City Council the following January. No specific FY 2028 applicant details have been made public.
The commission also coordinates public art through the city's Aesthetic Enhancement Program. TAC currently has one open seat after Commissioner Kleiber did not seek another term at the Thursday, May 14, meeting.
How to attend
The July 16 agenda includes a reminder about an Artist Meet and Greet on Saturday, August 8, at noon.
Residents can attend Thursday's meeting in person or watch later on the city's YouTube channel. ADA accommodation requests should go to the city's ADA Coordinator at (630) 836-3050 or [email protected] at least 48 hours before the meeting.
