When students say ChiArts is home,

they mean more than the walls of our school.

Eliyana Marrero, Junior Visual Artist and Student Government Secretary, wrote and bravely shared the following speech this past fall, to advocate for ChiArts' unique conservatory model. View a recording of her speech linked here.

"We are driven by our love for art, not by a line on our transcript.

ChiArts isn’t just a school—it is a lifeline, a safe, creative home for students who see the world through color, movement, beauty, and art.

Countless students have found their identity and voice at ChiArts.... I’m an outgoing, extroverted kid—except when it comes to having to express my feelings out loud. Painting has given me the ability and the peace to share my emotions in a new form, an ability I get to grow at school for free."

As ChiArts takes the next step in its journey, the ChiArts Foundation remains committed to our mission in raising the $2.5 million required to fund the ChiArts arts conservatories for the current year.

Because of you, every young artist at ChiArts can explore the world with more freedom, creativity, and possibility.