How to Contact ChiArts

General Community Inquiries
info@chiarts.org
773-534-9710 (Phone)

Job Inquiries
recruiting@chiarts.org

Prospective Student & Admissions Inquiries
admissions@chiarts.org


Current Student Inquiries
mainoffice@chiarts.org
773-534-9710 (Phone)

For attendance matters – attendance@chiarts.org

*More pressing matters may be escalated to ChiArts’ Executive Director, Principal, Assistant Principal, and Artistic Director as needed.


 

ChiArts Appoints Tina Boyer Brown as Executive Director

The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts) School Board is proud to announce the appointment of Tina Boyer Brown as ChiArts Executive Director. As Executive Director, Ms. Boyer Brown will head the school’s leadership team, overseeing all programs and operations and serving as the school’s chief spokesperson. She will be responsible for financial management, annual and strategic planning, board and community relations, and fostering collaboration across academic and arts programs. In announcing Ms. Boyer Brown’s appointment, School Board Chair Duffie Adelson shares, “We are delighted that Tina Boyer Brown has agreed to take on this important new role. Tina’s passion for the arts, dedication to our school, and commitment to our scholar-artists and to ChiArts’ values will be tremendous assets as she leads us toward a strong and vibrant future.”

Ms. Boyer-Brown’s appointment successfully concludes a nationwide search conducted with the assistance of Kittelman and Associates, who specialize in nonprofit leadership. The ChiArts School Board Executive Search Committee, chaired by Duffie Adelson, included board members Carlos Azcoitia, Warren Chapman, Peter Fidler, Karen Fishman, Bill Gerstein, and Cynthia Plouché.

Ms. Boyer Brown shares, “I am thrilled to be entrusted with ChiArts’ leadership. I sought this job because I believe deeply in the school’s mission and in students’ capacity to achieve at high levels in both the arts and academics. I look forward to working with all members of the ChiArts community to ensure that our school can continue to thrive.” Ms. Boyer Brown begins as Executive Director on July 1.

ChiArts Appoints Pavielle Driver as Principal

The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts) School Board is delighted to announce the appointment of Pavielle Driver as Principal. Ms. Driver is currently serving as Resident Principal at Chicago Public School’s Air Force Academy High School, and will begin at ChiArts on June 1, 2023. We thank Ms. Cruz for her contributions as Interim Head of School & Principal during the past two school years, and wish her the best in future endeavors. As May 19 is Ms. Cruz’s last day, ChiArts Assistant Principal Dr. McLeary will assume administrative responsibilities for ChiArts until the arrival of Ms. Driver. 
 

When asked about her excitement for ChiArts, Ms. Driver shared, “I am a proud native of Racine, Wisconsin currently residing in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. I am blessed to be the Mother of two wonderful boys, Damien and Gunnar and the proud chosen Godmother of Laila Sheree and Carter Clay. As a young girl I found a love for music, dance, and singing that continues to be a light for me daily. Unfortunately, I had no access to an arts conservatory but fortunately enough I was able to engage in the arts through community partnerships. As an educator, I’ve always been passionate about the quality and equity of education provided to all students. Because of this, ChiArts sparked my interest as it is a unique place that would allow me to increase student achievement and foster students’ love for the arts through academics and arts integration.”

Ms. Driver has earned two Master’s degrees: one in Administrative Leadership from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Master’s in Special Education from University of Nevada-Las Vegas. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and is a proud New Leaders Aspiring Principals Program Fellow.

Thank you to the ChiArts School Board Principal Search Committee, led by school board members Janette Cortes-Duewel and Bill Gerstein, along with current ChiArts educators, scholar-artists, and parent committee members. We warmly welcome Ms. Driver to the ChiArts community! 

ChiArts to Host Parent-Guardian & Teacher Conferences on March 30

ChiArts’ Parent-Guardian and Teacher Conferences will take place on March 30, 2023 from 12:00 to 7:00 PM (break from 3:30-4:00 PM). We will be offering virtual appointments for all parents/guardians, but families are welcome to attend in person if you like. All parents/guardians must make an appointment with the teacher they would like to meet with. ChiArts recommends to prioritize two or three teachers including both academic and arts conservatory.

To set up an appointment with each faculty member, click here.

 

ChiArts Spring Productions Feature Conservatory Collabs & Tributes to Black Culture

The ChiArts production team is preparing for a tremendous spring season with new conservatory collaborations and tributes to Black culture through diverse artistic lenses. This March, look forward to three premieres from the Creative Writing, Dance, and Music Conservatories. The first-ever Dance and Creative Writing collaborative showcase will lead us into the spring season on March 2-3, where dancers become writers and creative writers grow through movement. On March 15, Music presents Tribute to Black Music. Vocal Educator Charles Taylor shares, “The performance will highlight the contribution African-Americans have made to the American and world music tapestry. This year’s subject is The Evolution of the Spiritual, and will take listeners from the birth of the Spiritual to its usage and form in current times.” To close out March, Creative Writing will kick off National Poetry Month with a reading on March 30. 
 
 
 
 
 

ChiArts Alumni Network: February Highlights

ChiArts Foundation’s programming for alums has been highly engaged with our inaugural class of Alumni Ambassadors. Alongside the leadership of Programs Manager Karina Quintana, the six ambassadors have been strengthening programming by meeting with the Foundation’s Alumni Relations Board Committee, finalizing program logos, and ambassadors Daniel Gayden (Music ’17) and Coda Marcus (Theatre ’16) participated in an alum panel with current scholar-artists at ChiArts. In addition to program highlights, 2023 is starting on a high note as the 10th anniversary of ChiArts’ first graduation class! This February, alums have been making moves in their respective industries, and we are thrilled to highlight two powerful women from the Class of 2013.
 
Kyrie Courter (Theatre ’13) is making her Broadway debut on February 26 in the highly-anticipated revival of Sweeney Todd, directed by Tony Award–winning director Thomas Kail and starring Grammy nominee Josh Groban and Tony Award-winning Annaleigh Ashford! Read Kyrie’s production bio here.

 
Antoinette “Vi” Freeman (Dance ’13) brought her show-stopping energy to the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show, dancing alongside Rihanna this past Sunday, February 12. Now based in Atlanta, Antoinette is a rising star making her name known in the dance and creative directing industries!

ChiArts Launches Summer Camp Registration

Over the past seven years, ChiArts’ Annual Summer Camp has welcomed over 450 young artists to explore the artistic disciplines of Band, Creative Writing, Dance, Voice, Theatre, and Visual Arts thanks to generous support from the Caerus Foundation. Led by ChiArts teaching artists and alums, campers receive pre-professional training in the arts throughout July. Camp Coordinator and ChiArts Spanish Educator Chris Cashman shares, “At ChiArts Summer Camp, middle schoolers from Chicago get a taste of what it is like to be a scholar-artist at ChiArts. They end up accumulating almost a semester’s worth of classroom instruction, and the vast majority of students say the camp experience positively impacts their decision to pursue ChiArts as a student.” This year, ChiArts Summer Camp will offer programs for grades 6-8 from July 10-28 onsite at ChiArts.
 
 

ChiArts Creative Writing’s Zine Installation

ChiArts Creative Writing conservatory is expanding its reach through community collaborations. Second-year students are working on projects such as photo essays and redesigning album covers this semester. David R. Nelson, a working artist and alumni parent, has generously provided installation space in his art studio on California Ave. for students to present an incredible zine window installation for public viewing. This semester-long project challenged students to generate writing in new ways and use mediums outside the typical writer’s toolbox to further develop messages in their writing. While the topics range from mental health and slam poetry to the local punk scene and the shortcomings of capitalism, each zine is ultimately about the author’s identity as an artist. Creative Writing Department Head Kenyatta Rogers shares, “Storytelling doesn’t always have to be words. A project like this helps students use another part of their creative mind, letting them show a more personal side.” In addition to creating the zines, the process gave students curation power, insight into the life of a local artist, and networking opportunities.
 
We highly recommend stopping by the ChiArts Creative Writing Zine Installation at 1100 N. California Ave., up until the end of February.