Arts and Culture

The Town of Normal has formulated a new way to choose whether, which, and how to place art in public spaces. The town has supported public art for decades, but recently, a controversy over a mural in uptown prompted staff to re-examine the process to make it more intentional.

Bloomington-Normal has a long and distinguished history of business entrepreneurship. One less than distinguished, but very successful, business, had a continent-wide spread in the late 1800s.

Bloomington-Normal has a long and distinguished history of business entrepreneurship. One less than distinguished, but very successful, business, had a continent-wide spread in the late 1800s.

A 20-year-old web developer has broken the single-year record for bird species counted in McLean County. Ben Guo recorded 264 species in 2021. The old record was 259.

The unscripted HBO show, “We’re Here” documents LGBTQ people and their allies in small towns. It recently aired an episode with Pastor Craig Duke, who put together a drag show church service in Evansville, Ind. Three weeks later, the church relieved Duke of his duties. Hope United Methodist Church in Bloomington Normal put on an advent service in drag, in part, as a response to the Indiana incident.

Bloomington-Normal has a tie to famed actor John Wayne and legendary filmmaker John Ford — a hardware store clerk turned noted author, Harold Sinclair.

Punk rock and Elizabethan poetry might not seem like a natural combination. But Illinois Wesleyan University makes it work in a new production of the musical, "Head Over Heels," streaming Friday through Sunday.

Heartland Theatre closes its latest production this weekend, a rendition of Jennifer Blackmer’s 2014 play, “Human Terrain,” based on the real Human Terrain System.

The last serious history of McLean County came out in 1908. That's about to change with the book, “Freedom, Land, And Community: A History of McLean County, Illinois 1730 to 1900.” The author is Greg Koos, the retired director of the McLean County Museum of History.

You probably haven't heard of the state high school championship that has a golden spatula as a trophy. It's the first year for the IHSA Pork and Pigskins championship that recognizes the best concession stand pork chop sandwich.