Accomplished playwright Cathy Earnest has taught and advised students at Chicago institutions that include DeVry, Depaul University, and the University of Illinois. Over the course of her career as a playwright in Chicago, Cathy Earnest has received numerous professional awards that include recognition as a finalist at The O’Neill and at Ashland. Moreover, she has received several grants from the Illinois Arts Council Agency (IACA) for fiction.
Since its founding in 1965 as a state agency, the IACA has worked to foster artistic creativity while building a more connected Illinois through the arts. The organization, which also advances art education, supports working artists by providing direct support and other professional opportunities.
Other IACA initiatives, such as the Literary Awards Program, promote greater awareness of non-commercial publishing in Illinois by recognizing writers within the state. By providing monetary awards to both writers and to the magazines that feature their work, the program raises awareness of living Illinois writers and supports their careers. Currently, the award consists of a $1,000 prize. For additional information on the program, visit http://www.arts.illinois.gov.
Cathy Earnest 