About
The Chicago Public School (CPS) system is the nation’s fourth largest school district, serving over 325,000 students in 634 schools. Further, CPS predominantly serves students of color, with 70% of CPS students reported to come from low-income households. Research underscores that students from disinvested communities benefit significantly from arts programming, which fosters critical thinking, community building, and civic engagement (Source: NEA, Arts Education in America).
Artist-founded in 2017, Artists in Public Schools (formerly CPS Lives) was created by photographer Suzette Bross to integrate artists and cultural producers into CPS through paid artist residencies. Artists in Public Schools offers these artist residencies to CPS at zero-to-low cost, ensuring accessible collaboration between the artists, the students, and the school community. Since its inception, Artists in Public Schools has transformed public school environments into vibrant hubs of creativity, cultivating opportunities for professional, working, and emerging artists to connect with CPS students and faculty to create meaningful art experiences.
Organizers
Suzette Bross (she/her)
Founder & Executive Director
Suzette@artistsinpublicschools.org
Sophia Guadalupe Padgett Pérez (she/her/they/them)
Artistic Director
Sophia@artistsinpublicschools.org
Susan T. Mangaluz (she/her)
Associate Director
Susan@artistsinpublicschools.org
Ebony N. Andrews (she/her)
Marketing Director
Ebony@artistsinpublicschools.org
Board of Directors
Molly Kelly
President
Michael T. Noonan
Secretary
Cheri Hubbard
Treasurer
Jenn Dixon
Kelly Costello
Yumi Ross
Marielle Lifshitz
Cyraina Johnson-Roullier
Smita Shah
Peter B. Smith
Advisory Board
Susan Aaron
Teri Boyd
Nora Daley
Tricia Van Eck
Terry Evans
Vikki Hood
Karen Krehbiel
Carrie Lannon
Caroline Older
Lori Smedley
Gary Schechner
Matt Siber
Jan Tichy
Jay Wolke
Brooke Hummer
Jeff Phillips
