ChiArts Visual Artists Selected to Attend Summer Residencies in Colorado & Michigan

Visual Arts juniors Ari Antos, Monee Bridge, DeAndrea Carr, and Sadie Soria were selected to attend the annual week-long summer residency at the Anderson Ranch Art Center in Snowmass, Colorado. These scholar-artists experienced 40 hours of intensive studio training while in the beautiful Colorado Rockies from June 23 through June 29. In addition to Anderson Ranch Arts Center, juniors Aidan Bell, Cecilia Budzyn, Victor Garcia, and Jenna Lozano were selected to attend an one-week residency at The School of the Art Institute’s Ox-Bow in Saugatuck, Michigan from June 30 through July 6. They took an advance drawing class with Claire Arctander, Chicago artist and Campus Director of Ox-Bow!

Levitate, ChiArts’ Literary & Art Magazine is Featured in Local Book Stores

Creative Writing has been incredibly busy this past semester! ChiArts Literary and Art Magazine, Levitate Issue No. 3 is now available in five Chicago bookstores: Women & Children First, The Book CellarRoscoe BooksVolumes Bookcafé and Quimby’s. We hope you have a chance to visit and pick up a copy! As the scholar-artist editors share on their website“The purpose of Levitate is to give voice to artists of various backgrounds, especially those who are aspiring, or new to the world of art and writing. We want to share experiences that will bring people together, celebrate the underrated, the overlooked, and artists who are excited and passionate about their work.”

Congrats ChiArts Class of 2019! What’s next?!

The Chicago High School for the Arts’ 7th class of graduates are off on their next adventure. We’re honored to have been a stepping stone for these future leaders of our world. Did you know that the ChiArts class of 2019 spans universities in 20 states, three countries, and 66 of our scholar-artists are attending local universities in-state?! Get to know more about our recent graduates below:
 

ChiArts Theatre Presents BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL

This March, ChiArts presents Tony Award nominated, BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL. With music by Tom Kitt and Lin-Manuel Miranda, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel and Amanda Green, BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL will be a vocally explosive experience. In addition to a “Best Musical” Tony nomination, the show received a nod for “Best Choreography” which is showcased through incredible cheerleading routines and high energy musical numbers. BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL will run March 2, 3, and 7-10, with performances beginning at 7:00 PM and Sunday matinees at 3:00 PM. All performances are in the ChiArts Auditorium.

ChiArts aims to create content that pushes boundaries and we cannot wait to show audiences the versatility of our scholar-artists in this spectacular production. TICKETS ON SALE NOW! We’d HIGHLY recommended purchasing in advance as we are expecting to sell out.

Creative Writing expands programming with first-ever, Senior Lit Fest

Every year, our Creative Writing Conservatory continues to expand through new courses, faculty and innovative programming to engage the interests of every student at ChiArts. In addition to producing new Rapcademy evening showcases this year, the conservatory is thrilled to announce their first-ever writing festival, the Senior Lit Fest on Saturday, May 11. This all-day event consists of immersive presentations of original work throughout the ChiArts building by the 2019 graduating class of Creative Writers. More details to come!

Presenting the 2019 ChiArts National YoungArts Winners

Since 1981, the National YoungArts Foundation recognizes “the most accomplished young artists in the visual, literary, design and performing arts, and assist them at critical junctures in their educational and professional development.” This year, four amazing ChiArts scholar-artists are joining the ranks of internationally recognized YoungArts alumni such as Viola Davis, Tarell A. McCraney, Josh Groban, Camille A. Brown, and Daniel Arsham to list a few.
Huge congratulations to Creative Writer, Damayanti Wallace for her Honorable Mention for Play or Script, Creative Writer Aureane Roullier for Merit for Novel, Visual Artist, Janessa Soliveras for receiving the highest recognition as a 2019 YoungArts Finalist, and Theatre Major, Nia Sarfo knocking it out of the park as a 2019 YoungArts Finalist in Theatre as well. Watch Nia’s incredible performance from Tuesday, January 8 at the 2019 YoungArts Week in Miami (monologue begins at 48:18)!
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ChiArts Produces QUEEN Inspired Music Video in Collaboration with 20th Century Fox

CHICAGO, IL (October 17, 2018)— The Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts) is proud to announce a collaboration with major film studio, 20th Century Fox. On November 2, the long-awaited Queen and Freddie Mercury film, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, will be released to theaters nationwide. In response to the great impact Freddie Mercury has had on pop and rock culture, youth empowerment, and AIDS awareness, ChiArts has produced a music video extravaganza starring scholar-artists from the ChiArts Dance Conservatory. Featuring a medley of Queen songs including Under Pressure, Somebody to Love, and Don’t Stop Me Now, ChiArts students dance through a young man’s world where he is yearning to express his individuality and artistic creativity. Despite society pushing him in different directions, he breaks free with the help of a new friend. 

ChiArts is grateful for this newfound collaboration with 20th Century Fox. Because of their incredible support, ChiArts will be premiering the music video “Killer Queen,” at a special pre-screening event of BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY at the AMC River East in downtown Chicago later this month. With original choreography by ChiArts Dance Instructor, Brandon DiCriscio, this one-of-a-kind opportunity marks the first ChiArts-directed, filmed, designed, and self-produced music video. As ChiArts is a public arts high school, with college prep academics in the morning and tuition-free pre-professional arts training in the afternoon, our community teaches and learns on a foundation of compassion and inclusivity. We aim to amplify the voices of our scholar-artists. While reflecting on the legacy of Queen, we think of youth who are creating revolutions here in Chicago and around the world. We hope that this music video tribute inspires young artists to be their best queen. 

“Killer Queen” is now released on ChiArts’ Facebook and YouTube channel! For more information, contact Director, Sarah Goodman at sgoodman@chiarts.org. For media requests, email news@chiarts.org. 

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BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music and their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. Freddie defied stereotypes and shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound. They reach unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie leads the band in one of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers and music lovers to this day. #BohemianRhapsody