On October 17, 2013 the Champaign County Arts Council 40 North/88 West announced the winners of the 2013 ACE Awards. Winner of the award for Arts Advocacy was Krannert Art Museum Director, Kathleen Harleman.
Harleman was acknowledged for her significant work as director of Krannert Art Museum at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as well as her sevice on the 40 North board of directors, Illinois Arts Council grant review board, and the board of directors of the Public Art League of Champaign-Urbana. In addition, she was recently named a board member of the Illinois Arts Alliance, the leading state-wide arts advocacy group.