Chicago Academy for the Arts Spring Festival returns to in-person screenings after two year hiatus

The Chicago Academy for the Arts (The Academy), the nation's premier performing and visual arts high school, is excited to announce its 2022 Media Arts Spring Festival on Wednesday March 30, 2022 at Chicago's legendary Music Box Theatre.

The spotlight is a first-look at a pilot episode of a student developed comedy series Stitched Together. In addition, the evening will feature individual projects such as short films, animations, and creative writing pieces shown throughout the premiere as commercial breaks and give viewers a glimpse into future projects. This year’s festival marks the first time the student-developed works will be screened at an outside theater and a return to in-person screenings after the previous two years' virtual festivals due to the pandemic.

Stitched Together is a collaboration of fourteen students, aged 14 to 18, who conceived the idea of a comedy series about a high school student at a science and technology high school with a final chance to begin a student club that doesn’t end in absolute disaster (as his past attempts have). The student’s intentions are less than altruistic, though, as his true motivation is to pad his resume before applying to colleges. He is given approval to start a quilting club.

The Media Arts department at The Academy is not only one of the first high school programs in the nation specifically designated to media arts, its primary purpose is creative writing, filmmaking, and animation. A growing number of young people have been drawn to The Academy’s unique  multi-disciplinary arts education.

"Stitched Together developed a new level of creativity and confidence in me and the other students," says Chicago Academy for the Arts senior Gabe Bell. "We wanted this year's Media Arts Spring Festival to be a creative work that everyone could enjoy, and we encouraged each other to incorporate our skills in ways people wouldn't expect from high school students."

"The students demonstrated an extraordinary level of professionalism on this project," says Chicago Academy for the Arts Media Arts Department Chair Jessi Meliza. "Media Arts students at The Chicago Academy for the Arts have the vision, creativity, and drive of professional writers, animators, artists, and filmmakers. I'm excited to see Stitched Together come alive on the big screen!"

2022 Chicago Academy for the Arts Media Arts Spring Festival

Wednesday, March 30, 2022 / 7:00 PM -8:30 PM
Music Box Theatre
3733 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60613 (https://goo.gl/maps/2PzFs55r9i68sXBe9)
Tickets: $16.00 (adults), $9.71 (students with valid ID)  Click here to purchase tickets