Snow City Arts annual gala to put on a show Sept. 27

On Friday, Sept. 27, Snow City Arts will hold its annual gala from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago's Ballroom.

Every year, Gallery Night raises nearly $130,000 that directly impacts the organization's mission to provide space for creativity and learning through one-on-one engagement with children in the hospital.

This year, Gallery Night will be emceed by NBC's Lisa Parker and guests will enjoy a unique immersive arts experience.

"Gallery Night and the surrounding events provide important entry points to the work that Snow City Arts does in private rooms in the hospital, directly connects our donors with our mission, and, most importantly, provides our students and

families the opportunity to experience a culminating moment of arts learning and art creation - seeing their work presented professionally in a gallery," says Executive Director Carrie Spitler.

At 6 p.m., guests will be greeted at the steps of the ballroom with an exciting display of student artwork, including visual art, music, and media that welcomes them into the space.

Once inside the venue, they will be treated to cocktails provided by FEW Spirits and Deep Eddy Vodka.

Student artwork will surround them in unexpected ways as they enjoy hors d'oeuvres and a three-course dinner.

NBC Reporter Lisa Parker will emcee a presentation of live music and theater performances, student and artwork features, the Kate Neisser Award, and more.

This year's theme, "Creativity in Context," inspired a professionally-curated exhibition and presentation of student artwork that aims to pull back the curtain on the Snow City Arts process.

Teaching artists work bedside with pediatric patients who are struggling with various limitations.

Students may be in the hospital repeatedly, receiving care for chronic illnesses such as cystic fibrosis, leukemia, and sickle cell, or overnight for a major surgery or broken bones.

"Creativity in Context" will explore what it looks like to conduct an arts workshop in a hospital room.

Gallery Night 2019: Creativity in Context will highlight the amazing work of Snow City Arts students and teaching artists, and allow guests to explore their own connections to the mission of the organization.

Chicago-based Snow City Arts inspires and educates children and youth in the hospital through the arts. Snow City Arts brings one-on-one, learning opportunities to the rooms of pediatric patients at its hospital partners: Rush University Children's Hospital, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital University of Illinois, and Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital. Snow City Arts has been profiled as a best practice by the National Endowment for the Arts, honored as one of the 15 best youth programs in the United States by the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities with the prestigious Coming Up Taller Award, and has been the recipient of the Make It Better Philanthropy-Arts Award.

For information, visit www.snowcityarts.org.