$135,000 grant funds creative arts grants across Mercer County

Aledo Opera House open for a new generation

The Looser-Flake Foundation has distributed $135,000 in new grants across Mercer County, IL. With a focus on creative arts, these grants are creating new opportunities and contributing to a thriving culture and community in the region.

Administered by the Quad Cities Community Foundation and dedicated to supporting charitable causes in Mercer County, the Looser-Flake Charitable Foundation was established by the estates of Dorothy Looser-Flake and Roberta Looser, sisters who were born and raised on a family farm near New Boston, Illinois.

This year’s grants include a $13,000 award to the Aledo Opera House, a historic jewel of downtown Aledo, which reopened in June of this year after extensive renovations. 

For nearly 140 years, the Opera House has been a gathering place for art, entertainment, and community life in Mercer County. What began in 1885 as a roller-skating rink transformed over the years to become a community hub for stage performances, vaudeville shows, and silent films accompanied by live piano. Through ups, downs, and ownership changes, the building has endured thanks to generations of residents who believed in preserving its role as a cultural anchor.

That legacy continues today. Following a $4 million renovation completed in 2025, the Opera House reopened its doors, carefully balancing historic preservation with modern upgrades. The space now hosts movies and live performances, drawing rave reviews from longtime supporters and new audiences alike. “We’ve heard from so many people who love how much of the original character was preserved,” said Director of Operations Nathan Sipes. “It’s also special to see families—mine included—creating new memories here.”

For Sipes, the connection runs deep. He grew up performing on the Opera House stage, often alongside his family, and now leads the organization into its next chapter. His vision is simple but powerful: opportunity. “Whether it’s kids, retirees, or anyone with a dream to perform or learn, the Opera House should be a place where creativity takes root and grows.”

That vision is strengthened by the support of the Looser-Flake Foundation, which awarded the Opera House a Creative Arts Grant this year. “The Aledo Opera House embodies the spirit and purpose of these grants,” said Tracy Brashears, board chair of the Looser-Flake Foundation. “They are bringing amazing opportunities to Mercer County that enhance our culture and bring enriching arts programs to more people.” The funding will help create sustainable theatrical stage production opportunities in the community.

“Grants and partnerships like what are creating with the Looser-Flake Foundation are the lifeblood of our work,” Sipes said. “They make it possible to honor our history while building a future filled with art, learning, and community.”

This year’s Looser-Flake Foundation Create Arts Grants recipients:

  • Aledo Main Street — $3,200 for the expansion of a holiday market with live music and visual arts

  • Aledo Opera House — $13,000 to support theatrical stage productions

  • Ballet Quad Cities — $5,000 toward a bullying prevention program and partnership with the Aledo Opera House

  • City of Aledo — $5,000 for phase two of a downtown public storytelling project

  • City of New Boston — $19,000 to continue the bandshell project at Fish Fry Park

  • County of Mercer — $12,500 to support Ride 17 event

  • Eliza Township — $7,106 for microphones and sound system items at the Community Center Stage

  • Mercer County Better Together — $5,000 for the collaborative administration of Creative Arts Grants

  • Mercer County CUSD #404 — $16,375 for classroom initiatives and Jazz Band trip scholarships

  • Mercer County Historical Society/ Essley - Noble Museum — $7,500 for historical presentations and walking tours

  • QC Symphony Orchestra — $3,000 toward music education programs

  • Sherrard area Historic Website — $6,000 to build website on the history of eastern Mercer County

  • Sherrard CUSD #200 — $ 7,622 to purchase instruments for high school band

  • United CUSD  #304 — $14,697 for stage revitalization and instrument purchases

  • Village of Viola — $5,000 for sound and production on community stage

  • Visit MerCo — $5,000 toward the enhancement of Experience Mercer Magazine

Will Van Camp