MARWEN’S 19TH ANNUAL ART FAIR IS OCTOBER 17
More than 100 Chicago artists will showcase 400+ original works at Marwen’s 19th Annual Art Fair, a one-night event raising funds for free youth art classes serving students from all 77 neighborhoods.
Art Fair | Friday, October 17, 6:30-9:30 pm
*NEW* Media Preview | Wednesday, October 15, 10 am – noon
(Chicago-IL) Marwen is hosting its 19th annual Art Fair, an art auction featuring 400+ original works created by Marwen’s community of students, alumni, teaching artists, staff, and board members. The fair will be hosted at Marwen, 833 N. Orleans Street, on Friday October 17 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. Marwen is proud to celebrate an anticipated 100+ artists participating in the auction, who reflect a diversity of backgrounds, neighborhoods, and mediums, including photography, painting, sculpture, plushies, jewelry, ceramics, illustration, and multi-media.
This year, guests will enjoy three floors of artwork; heavy hors d’oeuvres and specialty cocktails provided by Limelight; plus an open bar with beer provided by Revolution Brewing. Live entertainment is provided by DJ Trak Qwn. Attendees can participate in the online auction via their phones, placing bids directly while at the fair.
Art Fair offers many students the opportunity to sell their original artwork for the first time. The event helps support Marwen’s mission of educating and inspiring youth to expand their futures through art and community. Marwen is proud to support artists by splitting the proceeds. 75% of the proceeds go towards the artist and 25% go towards supporting Marwen and its free arts classes for 6-12th grade students from all 77 Chicago neighborhoods. Any artwork not sold at the event will be sold online in the following days. The event will also feature card sales from Marwen’s legacy Design to Print program.
TICKETS
Guests can purchase tickets at artfair.givesmart.com. Individual tickets are $50; Working Artist tickets are $30 (limited supply); door tickets are $60.
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Photography and video are welcome during the event. Please email Kennon Reinard at kreinard@marwen.org to confirm your attendance and coverage.
Art Fair 2024 photos are courtesy of Marwen teaching artist and photographer Thomas Fanelli. Hi-res images are available upon request. Video b-roll from past Art Fairs is available upon request. Please email Kennon Reinard at kreinard@marwen.org.
2025 SPONSORS
MEDIA PREVIEW
Media are invited to attend the first-ever Art Fair Media Preview on Wednesday, October 15, 10 am to noon at Marwen, 833 N. Orleans Street. Featured young artist Güneş Göker, alumni Hamza “IN-ZO” Muhammad (The Chi) and Jackie Reyes, teaching artists Emma “Stitch Gawd” Mckee and Erica Scott, Marwen leadership and alumni Akilah Halley, Martha Osornio Ruiz, and Hector Gonzalez plus more community members, will be on site and available for interviews. They will talk about their work, Marwen experiences, and why this space is so critical for Chicago youth right now. DOWNLOAD BIOS
A brief speaking program starts at 10:15 am, followed by a building-wide open house. Photography, video, and audio recording are encouraged with options to interview artists one-on-one. Refreshments will be served, and free parking is available in our lot. Please RSVP to Kennon Reinard at kreinard@marwen.org by October 10 to confirm your attendance.
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.
Visit us at marwen.org and follow us Marwen on social: Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | LinkedIn
