Encore! Mount Morris

About

What is Encore! Mt. Morris? Volunteers committed to developing Mt. Morris, IL into a unique, thriving rural and cultural arts destination in northwest Illinois. Encore! Mt. Morris has the full cooperation and support of the Mt. Morris Village Board and Economic Development Group and complements other local economic development activities. About Us “Wouldn’t it be great if the old college campus buildings on the square were used for education again,” mused Roger Thorngren to his daughter, Andria. Years later, that remark had grown into an idea -- a vision held by Andria Thorngren Burchett to combine education with the arts in the 1900’s era sandstone and red brick buildings on the former college campus in Mt. Morris, Illinois. In 2015, Andria, herself an artist in Geneva, Illinois, shared that idea with the Mt. Morris Economic Development Group (EDG) and a spark was ignited. Together with the Mt. Morris EDG and a group of supporters, a strategic planning conference was held in April 2016 to work through the idea of creating an arts destination point in this small rural community in northwest Illinois. More than 80 people from within and outside the community volunteered for a 3-day planning session, including planning educators, and former city managers and administrators from the Chicago suburbs. Read more about the participants and event. See photos of the event.The result? Encore! Mt. Morris, composed of six committees, passionate about revitalizing their community, who are moving forward with action plans focused on key areas of need and opportunity.