CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (April 4, 2023) — Landmarks Illinois is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Landmarks Illinois Richard H Driehaus Foundation Preservation Awards. The annual awards program honors outstanding preservation projects in Illinois and/or individuals, organizations and advocacy efforts that demonstrate a strong commitment to protecting the places that are important to the people and communities of Illinois.
Nominations are due June 1, 2023, and can be submitted online here. There is no fee to submit a nomination. A jury of preservation professionals will review the nominations and determine the winners of this year’s awards. Judging criteria includes the impact the project or person has had on the community, how creative the project is and how well it aligns with Landmarks Illinois’ mission and guiding principles.
“Our annual awards program is an opportunity to call attention to the people across Illinois who are doing the challenging and honorable work of saving places in their communities,” said Bonnie McDonald, President and CEO of Landmarks Illinois. “During this nomination process, we want to learn about innovative preservation efforts, both big and small, that are sparking economic development, promoting sustainability or making other positive impacts that improve people’s lives.”
Projects and individuals selected for this year’s awards will be honored at a public ceremony in Chicago this October. Details on the event will be announced at a later date.
Nomination requirements
Projects must be located within Illinois to receive an award. Projects must also have been completed within the last five years. Phased projects may be considered if the nominated phase is complete and can stand on its own merits. Nominations may be submitted in someone’s honor and/or without the knowledge of the nominee. Self-nominations are also accepted. Previous year submissions not selected for an award may be revised and resubmitted for consideration as well.
Award details
Winners of the 2023 Landmarks Illinois Richard H Driehaus Foundation Preservation Awards will be selected from the following general categories:
· Advocacy: An effective local or statewide campaign to preserve and protect a historic resource;
· Leadership: Individual, municipality, private organization or joint partnership that has championed historic preservation, planning or public policy;
· Preservation: Projects that make possible the continued use of historic commercial/industrial buildings, multi-family/affordable housing residences, public/institutional structures or preserves a cultural heritage site; and
· Environmental Sustainability: Mitigation of climate change through preservation technologies.
In addition, one of the 2023 selected winners will receive the Richard H Driehaus Legacy Award, which honors the memory of the late Richard H Driehaus. The Richard H Driehaus Foundation has generously supported this annual awards program since 1994. The recipient of this esteemed award must demonstrate the immense power of preservation, following in the footsteps of Driehaus, who believed reusing places of our past creates positive change and motivates others to save important places.
About Landmarks Illinois
We are People Saving Places for People. Landmarks Illinois is a membership-based historic-preservation non-profit organization serving the people of Illinois. We inspire and empower stakeholders to save places that matter to them by providing free guidance, practical, and financial resources and access to strategic partnerships. For more information, visit Landmarks.org.
