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The Chicago Academy for the Arts, 1010 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60642312.421.0202

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In case you missed it at this February's All-School Showcase, check out the Visual Arts Department Showcase Presentations! More to come. #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts #visualart

Dear Friends, At graduation, we were honored to welcome guest speaker Gerald Griffin, a critically acclaimed and award-winning painter, sculptor, poet, and gallery owner who has been described as the “artist of African American consciousness.” In Mr. Griffin’s moving speech, he described his belief that “artists help to shape the consciousness of society and, therefore, can have the greatest impact on whether we evolve — or devolve.” His words were an inspirational send-off to the Class of 2018, and a fitting close to a school year that featured brilliant and socially relevant student work all year long. The work of our students not only captivated some of our largest audiences in our history, but caught the attention of the media as well. With The Academy and its students featured on WGN radio, on the front page of the Tribune, on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, on FOX, ABC, NBC, and CBS, and in dozens of papers across the country, we are proud to share our story with the world. That story continues with our announcement today that the 39 seniors in the Class of 2018 have earned nearly $10 million in scholarships to the best colleges, universities, and conservatories in the country. This year’s graduates will attend schools like Juilliard, Princeton, and Stanford, well prepared for a breathtaking variety of paths both in the arts and beyond. I have often remarked that the arts catalyze the most important things in life: imagination, community, and joy. The arts inspire, unify, broaden perspective, heal, give voice, and mobilize, and I am so, so proud to share this building with so many young people so deeply committed to their work. I thank them — and I thank you — for being a part of this place. Happy Summer! Jason Patera Head of School Full newsletter on our website! #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts

Check out a clip from this year's Spring Dance Concert! This is part of "All Things Break", choreographed by Nick Pupillo of Visceral Dance Chicago. There are still a few spots in the Dance Summer Program starting in two weeks! #dance #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts

Last chance to register for the Academy Summer Program! The intensives begin in less than 2 weeks! Unfortunately, the Theatre & Musical Theatre Program is at capacity, but there are still a few spots left in the Dance, Media Arts, Music, and Visual Arts concentrations. Visit our website to register. #SmartArtistsSmartArt #summer #CAArts

“I loved playing “Poppy” in "Noises Off!" It was the midpoint of my career at The Academy, and it was just such a fun role to play. The show is slapstick comedy — and we’ve done a lot of comedy, but we hadn’t done something so orchestrated. It was fun to watch everyone else. The ensemble had to really be together in that show. And besides "She Kills Monsters", it was my most physically active show. It seemed like every night was such a good night.” Congratulations to Ali Kane who is headed to Bard next year to study history and theatre! “I’m excited to learn with a new theatre ensemble. Bard focuses more on contemporary and experimental work, maybe a little more than we do at The Academy, but we still study the classics. The ensemble there is small like here — which is awesome. It’s not a huge program.” Ali’s mother Emily is appreciative of the academic education she received that put her on the path towards Bard, and credits her theatre training for giving her a leg up. “Ali has really enjoyed the challenges associated with all aspects of theatre. Watching her tackle Shakespeare, Ionesco, and all manner of writers and roles and develop a level of confidence and maturity is incredible. Her academic growth has been equally impressive and we believe her theatre experiences have absolutely underpinned her intellectual and academic development.” Good luck next year, Ali! Both Ali and Emily will miss the unique Academy community and education. “I often tell prospective parents how incredibly unique this school is. I tell them how engaged and connected these students are and I point to the number of hours our daughter has spent in rehearsal and prep on nights and weekends rarely if ever complaining about the workload. Ali has never had to be reminded to do homework or learn her lines.” “Sitting in the costume shop with my friends doing homework and preparing for a show. I will miss that. I will miss the atmosphere. It’s why I came here. It didn’t feel like a high school -- like any other high school.” #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts

“I love the city of Baltimore and MICA has an amazing painting program. I’m so excited to live more independently and be able to travel around the East Coast.” Congratulations to Olivia Mulholland will be attending Maryland Institute College of Art this fall! Olivia’s favorite exhibition at The Academy was her Senior Show in March, where she debuted 16 new paintings that she started and finished just this year. “I was so happy to show everything I had been working towards for the year and to have a defined artistic statement. My favorite piece is called “Mamah” which is a portrait of my younger brother’s birth mother. For the work, I took the only existing photo of her and placed my brother at his current age alongside her. The piece had a large personal and emotional meaning. It was really a humbling experience to paint.” We’ll miss Olivia in the Visual Arts Department and around the school. She’ll look back fondly on the Department’s first show of the year, the Figure Drawing Exhibition. “My favorite memory of my time at The Academy is my first week of figure drawing class as a freshman. At first I was terrified, but I fell in love with the practice within the first five minutes. At the end of the week, I was exhausted, but really proud of the work I had created, and the larger show that my department had put up. Overall, I will miss The Academy greatly and always cherish the memories and opportunities it has given me.” #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts

Elana Lee will attend Hofstra University in New York in the fall! She has been admitted into the music program and received academic and music scholarships. Elana and her family moved to Chicago from New York hoping to transfer to a school with smaller class sizes where she could build on her strength — her love of music. For three years Elana has loved the opportunity to play her flute in many different venues and with different styles of music, as well as the opportunity to make great friends. Elana’s mother Mindy has loved being part of the Academy community as a parent liaison to the Music Department and member of Gala committees. “I will miss being involved with this very special place. I met some fabulous people and some very talented, awesome kids. I truly enjoyed working with everyone. The staff is dedicated and talented. Jason and Judith took the time to get to know me, and I loved working with them on fundraising projects. I loved walking in the building and being able to say “hello” to Mr. Jackson, Ms. Caraway, Kyna, Rose Colella, and many more. In a way, The Academy provided a home for me as well. When we moved here, I didn’t know anybody. I loved meeting all the amazing parents — some of whom have become friends.” But mostly, Mindy has appreciated the art she has witnessed and Elana has created during their tenure at The Academy. “I loved pulling up to the building and hearing all forms of music and art streaming through the windows. And I will never forget watching Elana improve as an artist. She had her Senior Recital in early April, and my family flew in from the east coast to see her. When she played her classical pieces I felt like she was going to fly away with her notes. It was amazing and beautiful to watch her work hard and set her mind to achieving a goal.” We’re so happy to have Elana, Mindy, and their family as part of The Academy. Elana hopes to become a music therapist after college. Good luck back home in New York, Elana! #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts

“I will never forget the moment when I first discovered my love for Shakespeare. We were reading Macbeth in my freshman acting class and my teacher Ashlee said, ‘This language is so beautiful, and we do not get to use it everyday, so enjoy it.’ That changed my world. From that point on, I read as much Shakespeare as possible, saw as much Shakespeare as I could, and even found a Shakespeare-related internship. I will miss moments like that in class because they happen everyday in both academics and arts.” Congratulations to Theatre Department senior Caitlin Morley! “Having the opportunity to play challenging roles outside my comfort zone and 'type' has been the most rewarding part of my arts education at The Academy. Struggling to play a role like “Caliban” in "The Tempest", and the feeling after every show knowing I successfully performed such a difficult role is very rewarding. Having intellectual discussions with teachers has been the most rewarding part of my academic education. The teachers at The Academy really want to listen to you and help you improve.” Caitlin urged incoming students to not resist growing and changing throughout their time at The Academy, and to fully immerse themselves within the arts community. “As an incoming freshmen, I wish I knew that it was okay if my interests changed. I went into my freshmen year thinking I wanted to be a contemporary actor, but over these past four years I have developed a passion for directing and Shakespeare. Also, I would urge other students to see as many shows as you can. Everyone here is so incredibly talented. It is an honor to be an audience member to their work.” She’ll never forget Theatre Department rehearsals, especially from her first play as a member of The Academy ensemble. "I’ll always remember rehearsing for my freshman year Spring Play "Learned Ladies". The play featured a huge runway for a stage, and each cast member had to pick a song to walk down the runway to. The first rehearsal, our director told us she was gonna play all the songs we chose and everybody had to dance like no one was watching. It was the most fun I have ever had in a rehearsal. It was ridiculous!"

“If your child is passionate about the arts and wants both a strong college-preparatory academic education and an excellent arts education, you should definitely consider The Academy.” Johnny Rabe transferred to The Academy before his sophomore year looking for a school where students were as passionate about Musical Theatre as he is. Three years later, Johnny will be attending Stanford University to double major in Theatre and International Relations and minor in Music! Johnny’s mother Lilah reflected about their family’s time at The Academy. “At the school that Johnny attended as a freshman, he found it difficult to find a social group because all of the groups were formed around extracurricular sports activities. There was no social group for a boy whose passion was Musical Theatre. At The Academy, Johnny immediately felt at home. He’s loved being in a community where he can be himself. He doesn't have to pretend to be someone that he isn’t. He doesn’t have to act when he is not on stage. He has also greatly appreciated his teachers all of his teachers and the care each of them has shown to him as an individual. Lilah’s favorite Academy experience was watching Johnny in the lead role “Charley Kringas” alongside the rest of the Academy Musical Theatre Department in last fall’s production of "Merrily We Roll Along" (for which Johnny was just nominated for "Best Actor" by the Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards!). But what she really appreciated was the unique co-curricular focus of the school. “One of the unique aspects of The Academy was the ability for Johnny to take a full load of college-preparatory academic classes and to also pursue all of his artistic interests (acting, voice, dance, and piano) with professional teachers, all in one place. In addition, he was able to integrate his academic and artistic interests — reading Shakespeare’s works in English class and performing them in his Theatre class.” We’re going to miss Johnny and his family! We can’t wait to see what he accomplishes at Stanford. #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts @ihsmta @stanford

The online application for enrollment during the 2018-2019 school year is still open! The Academy is currently in the process of rolling admissions. Applications received during this period will be considered based on space availability, and applicants will be contacted by the Admissions Office to schedule an audition on an individual basis. Visit our website! Please also see our Summer Program, which begins June 25! Link in bio! #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts #summer

“I love the energy at The Academy. Everyone has the same goal and work ethic. And if someone doesn’t have that initially, they eventually get pushed or inspired to work as hard as the people around them. It’s amazing being at a school with people who all have the same determination and willingness to fight for a future in the arts. I will always remember the experience of performing on professional stages with my peers, and seeing the reaction of amazement from the audience — that we are high schoolers but we are performing like professionals. And I’ll never forget the dance parties we have in the Dance Department after we get out of rehearsal. I will never forget my ballet teacher Ms. Rast.” Congratulations to Jordyn Lando who is off to Indiana University to study dance and exercise science! She is grateful for the discipline and self-determination she feels has grown in her throughout her four years at The Academy. “My peers and I know we have to stay as focused on our school work as we do on our art form. We learn a lot about time management — learning how to make time for self, school, social, and the arts. Some people see our responsibilities as a lot for a highschool student. It is. But through your four years here, you learn what you have to do for what you love.” She sees the same determination throughout all students within the Academy community. “This is a hard-working community. And I mean “community”, because we all help each other with advice, homework, opinions, or in dance with getting the step right. And you see the hard work that goes into the final artwork. We all know that it is not easy to be an artist in the real world, so we all have that fight to become the best.” Good luck next year, Jordyn! #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts #dance

How would you describe The Academy? Part 3. #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts

How would you describe The Academy? Part 2. #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts

How would you describe The Academy? Part 1. #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts

Morgan Clune has accepted her offer to attend Juilliard in the fall to pursue her BFA in Dance! Morgan has excelled in ballet and modern dance throughout her time at The Academy and has been an integral part of the Dance Department’s performances at the Athenaeum Theatre the past few years. She debuted her choreographed piece “Elapse” at January’s Senior-Choreographed Dance Concert. Her father Dean reflected upon their family’s time at the school. “I have so many favorite experiences. Watching my daughter perform, listening to stories about learning from Mr. Tynan and the other amazing teachers each day as we drove home from the train. One thing I will never forget is the advice, encouragement, and ultimately the excitement Henry on the facilities staff has given and showed for my daughter. He has been so supportive and such a great example of how each person creates a culture and touches the lives of every student at The Academy.” Dean is thankful for the academic education Morgan received at The Academy, in addition to her dance training. “I have loved the approach to the academic classes and how each teacher understands the mind of an artist. They found a way to tap into the creative mind in everything they teach. I was concerned that my daughter would miss the exercise of her mind while gaining the physical in her art. I was wrong. The Academy understands that the mind is where art originates, and the physical is only the expression of the mind. They have found the special sauce when moving from morning to afternoon here in this building.“ But what Dean will miss most is the Academy community and those who helped Morgan get to this next step in her life. “Teachers, leadership, and faculty know our family and our daughter. They have provided stability and guidance in all walks of our journey. We are new to the arts and needed so much help and direction. Now as we end this chapter of our lives, our daughter begins her next chapter at Juilliard, and a dream has come true. A dream we could not have accomplished without The Academy." #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts #dance

We're thrilled to announce our third-annual Summer Alumni Party! We hope to see you on Thursday, August 9th at The Academy. The night will feature live music, food, and plenty of embarrassing photos. We want to send off the Class of 2018 in style, as well as welcome as many alums as we can from the 80s to the 10s. RSVP on our website! #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAAGrads

Congratulations to the Class of 2018! Violet Moyer (Visual Arts ‘18) is going to New York in the fall to study at Parsons School of Design! Violet has felt a special bond with her teachers Margy Stover and Brenda Moore, but feels like the entire Academy faculty has been there for her throughout her tenure. “Our teachers have told us that if years from now, they came into a gallery and each piece of art didn’t have a label, they’d be able to tell which one of us made it. That’s incredible to me. They just have this understanding of each person. I feel like I gained this friendship with my teachers that I didn’t have at my middle schools and the CPS school I was at before I transferred to The Academy. I go home and I make jokes to my mom about my teachers — “I saw all my best friends today!”. Ms. Stover is really my role model, she’s like an aunt to me. But even with my academic teachers, I feel like I can come to them for anything. I went to Mr. Pinto last month for advice on my artist statement. There's no sense of anything being a chore for them. I can't say I've found that at other schools.” Violet is particularly proud of her still life piece "Essence in Muse" that she made for her recent Senior Exhibition. “That one took me four months to do. I actually set up a still life right here in my corner. It wasn't a picture or inspired by another piece of art, and it was completely self assigned. I just stared at this still life for so long. Sometimes I think I might have stared at it more than I actually painted it. I just wanted to understand it. I think that it taught me a lot about the way I work — which I believe every piece should. You should gain something from each piece. But this piece really speaks to me, not only in representing my aesthetic but also my devotion and work ethic — the willingness to invest that amount of time in my art. Just to make one piece.” #SmartArtistsSmartArt #Classof2018 #CAArts #painting

A few pictures from the Theatre Department's March production of "columbinus". Photos by @thomasmohrphotography #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts

Thank you for making our 2018 IMAGINE Gala the most joyful, successful gala in the history of The Academy! Nearly 300 guests were in attendance and, together, we grossed over $435,000 in support of scholarship and world-class educational programs. This is an increase by more than 20% compared to last year and we are deeply grateful! Academy students performed and exhibited stunning work Friday night, we celebrated the tremendous philanthropic investment and leadership of Rusty and Jeffrey Sanfilippo, and our generous array of sponsors and guests were abuzz over the fabulous live and silent auction offerings. The celebratory vibe was palpable among our guests — both those who were able to attend and those participating remotely. Students, parents, alumni, civic and business leaders, arts patrons, trustees, faculty, and staff came together to have a ball, raise a ton of funding for critical priorities — scholarship and world-class education program, and to IMAGINE the possibilities. None of this would be possible without you, and we thank you. #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts Photos by Genotype Media

Congratulations to the Class of 2018! Graduation is tonight! #SmartArtistsSmartArt #CAArts