Visual Arts senior, Nayla Vasquez was recognized by the National YoungArts Foundation as one of the nation’s top leading teenage artists. Nayla received an Honorable Mention in Visual Arts for the  YoungArts 2020 Awards .  In an interview, she enthusiastically shared  "I knew YoungArts was a big deal from the start. But, I never thought I would receive an honorable mention! This is just the beginning of my artistic journey leading to college. I now know I have a strong portfolio to start with, and the credentials to back it up."

Nayla also spoke on her concentration in the visual arts, as she prepares to exhibit at ChiArts' senior showcase this spring. Nayla shared, "Through my sculptures, I educate people about the political, social, economic effects, and realities of being a Latina woman through a lens outside the white woman hegemony. A lot of popular mainstream feminist artists are white women, which are important to feminism in their own right. However, it's vital that women of color are recognized and not lost within the world of whitewashed feminism. We should be allies, not competitors."

Since ChiArts was founded, YoungArts has honored a total of 24 scholar-artists for their high caliber of artistic achievement. 
Four music scholar-artists will be representing ChiArts at the  ILMEA All-State Festival  for Band, Choir, and Orchestra. Huge congratulations and applause to Michael Tabb (Choir), Aaron Sanders (Vocal Jazz), Nina Touboul (Orchestra - Flute), and Amanda Vicens (Band - French Horn). In January, these ChiArts All-State musicians and vocalists will perform on stage with some of the best young musicians in the state!
ChiArts produces over 70 showcases a year ! From creative writing readings to jazz showcases, we work hard to balance a full academic load, conservatory classes, and rehearsals! Here are three upcoming winter showcases that truly champion ChiArts’ overachiever spirit. 

Student Choreography Showcase: On January 28, senior dancers become choreographers! Watch ChiArts original pieces choreographed, auditioned, and directed by the dance class of 2020. Each senior will speak on behalf of their piece, along with their industry mentor who helps guide the process and production.

Spring Large Ensemble:  The ChiArts music department is currently the number one high school program in the state! This concert on February 14 showcases both our vocal and instrumental ensembles, and will include pieces they will perform at the IHSA competition.

Feature Musical:  Every year, we produce a full scale musical inviting all five conservatories to audition! This year, a cast of 50+ scholar-artists from all conservatories will perform the Tony- and Grammy-nominated show CHICAGO, THE MUSICAL. The production will run from March 8-10, 2020.
If you have a Spotify account, you might have used the 2019 Wrapped feature to discover your number one artists and songs. Were any of them ChiArts alumni?! We’re thrilled for all our alumni and current students who are paving their way as young artists and exploring new mediums.

Fun Fact: Calvin Holmes  (artist featured above under stage name HappyBirthdayCalvin) , graduated from our Creative Writing Conservatory in 2019, and one of his original songs was featured during commencement. Calvin's songs have over 11.6 million streams on Spotify!
ChiArts’ annual spring benefit and presentation,  Kerfuffle! , welcomes supporters, arts partners, and civic leaders to raise funds in support of ChiArts’ arts conservatory programs.  Are you interested in sponsoring our largest fundraiser of the year?  Click here for more information  or contact  development@chiarts.org .
Celebrate our 10 years of tuition-free and pre-professional arts training! Every gift makes an impact.