Marwen Raises $370K+ and Announces New ARTS Residency FOR TEENS
(Chicago-IL) On May 7, 2026, Marwen returned to 167 GREEN for its annual Paintbrush Ball, welcoming more than 300 philanthropists, creatives, civic leaders, families, alumni, and friends. Together, guests raised more than $370,000 to support Marwen’s free arts programs for Chicago’s young people. The evening featured the announcement of a major expansion to Artward Bound, Marwen’s immersive artist residency program, with the addition of a new residency at Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic Fallingwater.
Because of the generosity of this community, Marwen can continue to help young people flourish as artists, thinkers, leaders, and thriving adults across Chicago and beyond.
The event offered a festive evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, and live artmaking by Marwen alumni Scarlett Smith, Hector Gonzalez, and Akilah Halley. Guests heard remarks from Board Chair Antonio Garcia (Gensler), poet and Marwen parent Leslé Honoré, young artist Scarlett Smith, and Executive Director and alumna Akilah Halley. A short film produced by Leo Burnett, a record-breaking paddle raise led by Molly Morse Limmer of Freeman’s Auctions, and music from DJ Duane Powell rounded out the celebration.
Special guests included photographer Sandro Miller, filmmaker Claudie Miller, artist Matthew Hoffman, DCASE Commissioner Kenya Merritt, and Marwen’s newest board members Samantha Cescau of Leo Burnett and Cindy Coleman of Frankel Coleman.
During the program, Executive Director and Marwen alumna Akilah Halley announced that Artward Bound, Marwen’s signature artist residency program, will expand beyond its residency at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin, to include a second residency at Wright’s renowned Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania. The addition doubles the number of young people who can participate in these immersive, artist-centered experiences.
2026 SPONSORS
Photo credits: Event photography by Marwen teaching artist Nick Moody of Copacetic Visuals. Purple Carpet photography by Marwen alum Mario Anaya.
ABOUT MARWEN
Marwen educates and inspires young people to nurture their growth and build their futures through art and community. Founded in 1987, Marwen has supported nearly 16,000 young people through our no-cost studio arts courses, academic mentorship, and professional development programs. Our programs are especially crucial to Chicago’s low-income communities of color, who face systemic barriers to accessing high-quality arts education and pathways to creative careers.
Marwen’s programming nurtures young people’s creative expression, affirms their identities and choices, and builds their connections to peers and mentors. The skills, confidence, and relationships that begin at Marwen open doors to futures filled with possibilities. Marwen relies on support from generous donors to sustain our robust programming and to keep all our programs at no cost to young people and their families.
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