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Marwen Marwen inspires young people, 6-12th grade in Chicago, to nurture their growth and build their futur
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Marwen inspires young people to nurture their growth and build their futures through art and community. Founded in 1987, the no-cost studio and pathway programs exist for young people in Chicago who want to explore visual arts, are in 6th-12th grades, and do not have access to arts programming due to financial and systemic barriers. Our out-of-school programming runs year-round on three seasonal terms: Spring, Summer, and Fall.


- Studio Programs are youth-centered courses, workshops, and residencies in a wide range of disciplines including painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, photography, animation, fashion design, and mixed media.

- Pathways Programs are youth-centered opportunities bridging studio and creative practices through paid employment, individualized mentorship, and professional development for accessing educational and career pathways.

08/19/2026

Our summer’s first Young Artist Spotlight features 7th grader Avi! Avi is a multimedia artist who has already taken courses in six different mediums since joining us here at Marwen just this past Spring. Watch her speak about herself and her artwork in the first-ever Young Artist Spotlight reel (put together by our Art@Work summer teen intern Brook)!

To read more about Avi, head over to our blog at https://www.marwen.org/meet-avi-mallory-fiber-and-mosaic-artist/

Over 5 weeks, our Art@Work summer internship saw teens growing their skills in various fields, including several interns...
08/17/2026

Over 5 weeks, our Art@Work summer internship saw teens growing their skills in various fields, including several interns at Marwen! A special thank you to Marwen's Art@Work interns Brook, Sofia, Sofie, and Via, plus our college intern Triniti for bringing enthusiasm, creativity, fun, joy, and incredible work to our Programs, Communications, Development, and Finance teams! We wish them all the best as they continue to grow and learn and gain experience towards their creative futures and careers.

As the start of a new school year approaches, Marwen's building will be closed for the week of August 10th. We hope ever...
08/10/2026

As the start of a new school year approaches, Marwen's building will be closed for the week of August 10th. We hope everyone takes time to enjoy these late days of summer!

Featured chalk artwork designed by Marwen young artists in our 2026 Summer Term.

08/07/2026

The past 5 weeks have flown by and Marwen's Art@Work interns have officially completed their time with their hosts and mentors for the summer. Lots of projects completed, memories made, skills earned, and connections created have cemented this experience as one our teen interns can hold onto as they continue to grow and plan their lives after high school.

Thank you to all of our interns for their hard work, and thank you to the incredible mentors from the following organizations who supported and guided them this summer:

A Long Walk Home
AIGA
Chicago Scholars
Artists in Public Schools
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
Heaven Gallery
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Intuit Art Museum
Magnolia Screen Printing
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Snow City Arts
Woman Made Gallery
Mobile Makers
The Revel Group

And one more thank you to Wintrust Bank for sponsoring the Art@Work program, giving young artists the opportunity to engage in paid internships with Marwen and partner organizations!

Please join us in congratulating all of these dedicated young people! đź’«

đźš—đź’¨ Thank you to Wintrust for the opportunity to showcase Marwen in a whole new way! Our Marwen billboard can be seen alo...
08/06/2026

đźš—đź’¨ Thank you to Wintrust for the opportunity to showcase Marwen in a whole new way! Our Marwen billboard can be seen along the Kennedy Expressway 90/94 (east side near North Avenue) for the entire month of August. The board is visible daily from 10am - 2pm and 8-10pm. We're excited to see how many new folks find their way to the Marwen community this Fall.

Wintrust is a proud sponsor of Marwen's Art@Work Internship Program.

Marwen's 20th Annual Art Fair is Friday, October 23, 2026!Art Fair is Marwen's annual art auction and exhibition that f...
08/01/2026

Marwen's 20th Annual Art Fair is Friday, October 23, 2026!

Art Fair is Marwen's annual art auction and exhibition that features hundreds of artworks made by students, alumni, teaching artists, and staff. Get your Early Bird Tickets ($40) today to join us on 10/23 for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, and music as you take in the boundless creativity of the Marwen community and bid on the artworks that inspire you.

Purchase tickets today before the price goes up to $50 on September 1st!

http://artfair.givesmart.com/

Learn how to sell your artwork and make money at Marwen’s Art Fair! In this workshop, learn how to price your paintings,...
07/31/2026

Learn how to sell your artwork and make money at Marwen’s Art Fair! In this workshop, learn how to price your paintings, drawings, photos, and ceramics for Marwen’s annual fundraiser, Art Fair. Explore how artists price their artwork so that you can make money as an artist without selling yourself short. Julia Gonzalez, Marwen’s Senior Manager of Development, and Taj Richardson, Marwen’s Development Coordinator, will be present to answer questions about your participation in the 2026 Art Fair!

This FREE Fall Youth Pathways Workshop is being held at Marwen on Friday, August 7 from 1:00 - 2:30PM. RSVP now for this and other upcoming workshops at: https://tinyurl.com/MarwenYPFall2026

Submissions for Marwen Art Fair are open to current Marwen students, Marwen alumni, and current and past Teaching Artists, METAs (Marwen Emerging Teaching Artists), Staff, and Board Members.

We've been busy installing literally hundreds of colorful, inspiring, and unique artworks from our summer term, and here...
07/30/2026

We've been busy installing literally hundreds of colorful, inspiring, and unique artworks from our summer term, and here is a glimpse into the studios while young artists were making their pieces. If you want to see what they've created, remember to save the date for Marwen's Summer Exhibition Celebration! We'll see you on September 26th! đź’«

✨SELL YOUR ARTWORK✨ Are you a current or past student, Teaching Artist, or Staff Member at Marwen? Then keep reading! On...
07/28/2026

✨SELL YOUR ARTWORK✨

Are you a current or past student, Teaching Artist, or Staff Member at Marwen? Then keep reading!

On October 23rd, we’re hosting our annual Art Fair at Marwen – where we’ll be featuring original work from the Marwen community. Art sales are split between the artist (75%) and Marwen (25%).

To submit your work, fill out this form by August 31st: https://wkf.ms/3Rw07ae

Do you know a current or past student, staff, or teaching artist at Marwen? Tag them below!

07/25/2026

Applications are now open for Marwen Lab! Open to young artists who will be in 10-12th grade in the 2026-2027 school year, Marwen Lab is an opportunity for young people to access Marwen's professional equipment to create the artwork they've always wanted to make!

Marwen Lab is a year-long program where you can join a teen artist residency and expand your art skills in:

🏺 ceramics
🎨 painting
✏ drawing
📸 photography
🪡 fashion
🎥 film-making and animation
đź’» digital art and more!

Applications are due August 1st and you can get started with the application at https://forms.monday.com/forms/09346d9af0bd599057a741206cbb631f?r=use1

Address

833 N Orleans Street
Chicago, IL
60610

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13129442418

Website

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