Congratulations Antonia!

A packed house of 300 arts, business and foundation leaders joined The Arts & Business Council of Chicago on Thursday, June 15 to recognize the extraordinary achievements of individuals and organizations behind the scenes in the arts at The 2006 ABBY Awards. The Ballroom at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago provided a beautiful backdrop for the evening's festivities.

As co-writer of the charter and mission of Marwen, Antonia Contro has guided the growth of an organization where more than 1,000 students from all over Chicago come free of charge
each year to participate in arts education, college planning and career development programs. Executive Director since 1993, Antonia brought the original vision for the organization to a reality, providing disadvantaged youth from grades 6-12 with an enriching after-school art program that helps to transcend barriers—whether economic, racial, educational or social—and prepares them for a successful future.

Marwen’s diverse student body finds encouraging mentors everywhere they turn—among artists, teachers, alumni and staff. This is a reflection of Antonia who, in addition to serving as an outstanding administrator, is a celebrated artist and educator herself. In 2004, with co-author Philip Yenawine, Antonia wrote and published Fuel: Giving Youth the Power to Succeed, an extraordinary exercise in disseminating the “Marwen method” to colleagues in the fields of youth development and arts education.

In 2000, Marwen purchased and renovated a wonderful new facility, and in this period of growth and success, Antonia always kept an eye on the bottom line. In fact, in Marwen’s nearly 20 year history, the organization has never carried a deficit. As a result of her strong leadership, Marwen has been awarded with several honors, including the 2003 “Coming Up Taller Award” from the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. Antonia is an accomplished artist and an exemplary manager, nurturing a financially sound, socially responsible organization where no idea is discounted and new ideas are always encouraged from staff and students alike.

For more information on Marwen, visit: www.marwen.org.

[Ripped From] the ABBY Program Book
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