Art on theMART today announced that it is establishing a new ongoing partnership with Chicago Public Schools and its All-City Visual Arts Program. The first joint project will showcase the artwork of select Chicago Public School (CPS) seniors on the façade of theMART as part of a new animated projection entitled Hope is a Light: Select Works from the Chicago Public School Class of 2021 to be shown as part of Art on theMART’s late spring program, May 20 – June 26, 2021. The initiative is a partnership between Art on theMART, Chicago Public Schools, the All-City Visual Arts (ACVA) Program, and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events with support from iHeartRadio.
“We are pleased to partner with Chicago Public Schools to amplify the students’ creativity on our large-scale canvas that is free and accessible to visitors,” said Cynthia Noble, executive director of Art on theMART. “We are inspired by the incredible dedication, focus and innovation of the CPS Class of 2021, particularly during these challenging times. We hope that this is only the first iteration of a rich partnership with CPS.”
“We are thrilled by this opportunity for our students to have their artwork exhibited as a part of this highly-regarded public art program,” said Julia deBettencourt, Executive Director of Arts Education for Chicago Public Schools. “Our students have tremendous artistic talent and our partnership with Art on theMART will provide our graduating seniors with a unique and unprecedented opportunity to share their creative voices with the public.”
Any CPS high school senior is eligible to be a part of this program. Artworks selected for the 2020-21 CPS All-City Visual Arts Senior Portfolio (either Honorable Mention or Exhibition) are automatically under consideration for inclusion in the Art on theMART exhibition. Seniors must submit through the All-City Visual Arts High School Exhibition portals to be considered by the deadline of March 26th, 2021. To view the submission guidelines which include the selection criteria and application portals, please visit http://www.cpsarts.org/news/artonthemart/.
Once chosen, the student artwork will be animated and projected with accompanying music curated by the CPS Department of Arts Education in collaboration with iHeartMedia.
Art on theMART’s program of projections will be shown nightly at 9 and 9:30 p.m. and can best be experienced for free from the jetty section of the Chicago Riverwalk on Wacker Drive between Wells Street and Franklin Street, where accompanying audio is also available. The most recent social distancing practices (based on recommendations from the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois), must be observed by all Art on theMART visitors.
About Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools serves 341,000 students in 638 schools. It is the nation’s third-largest school district.
About Art on theMART
Art on theMART is the largest permanent digital art projection in the world, projecting contemporary artwork across the 2.5-acre river-façade of theMART. This expansive permanent piece of public art continues Chicago’s legacy of providing both residents and visitors with exceptional art that is both free and accessible to all. Projections are visible to the public from Wacker Drive and along the Chicago Riverwalk, with accompanying audio available on the jetty section of the Riverwalk
The program content rotates seasonally and is selected with the assistance and expertise of the Curatorial Advisory Board. The City of Chicago and theMART work in partnership to manage and curate the projected artwork over the course of a 30-year agreement. Privately funded by Vornado Realty Trust, owner of theMART, Art on theMART marks the first time a projection of its size and scope is completely dedicated to digital art with no branding, sponsorship credits or messaging. The permanent projection system illuminates theMART with 34 state-of-the-art projectors totaling almost one million lumens. For more information, visit www.artonthemart.com.
About theMART
theMART (formerly The Merchandise Mart), located in the center of the sought-after River North submarket, is interwoven into the fabric of Chicago as an innovator in business, technology, culture, art, media and more. As the largest privately owned commercial building in the United States, it is also one of the world’s leading commercial buildings, wholesale design centers and the preeminent international business location in Chicago. Offering continuous innovation and creativity from leading manufacturers and design-forward showrooms, theMART serves as the home to Chicago's most creative and technologically innovative companies including Motorola Mobility, 1871, Yelp, PayPal and MATTER, as well as Fortune 500 companies ConAgra, Allstate, Kellogg, Beam Suntory and Grainger. For more information, visit http://themart.com/.
About the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is dedicated to enriching Chicago’s artistic vitality and cultural vibrancy. This includes fostering the development of Chicago’s non-profit arts sector, independent working artists and for-profit arts businesses; providing a framework to guide the City’s future cultural and economic growth, via the Chicago Cultural Plan; marketing the City’s cultural assets to a worldwide audience; and presenting high-quality, free and affordable cultural programs for residents and visitors. For more information, visit www.chicago.gov/dcase.