2019 VENDORS + PARTNERS
ABOUT
Monarch Art and Wellness is a Chicago-based public programming initiative established in reaction to a lack of representation of women, non-binary creatives and femmes at recent summer festivals.
Monarch aims to bridge the gap between art and wellness while providing vendors and visitors with a rich network of local women, gender non-binary, and femme identifying practitioners. Through a diverse roster of public programs on physical, mental, spiritual, sexual wellness, Monarch functions as a collaborative project providing local healing resources for women, gender non-binary and femme identifying communities and people of color. Monarch serves to establish a dynamic, intersecting network among Chicago creatives through interactive events and spaces for healing, honesty, and reflection.
MONARCH TEAM
Noëlle Pouzar / Co-Founder
Noëlle Pouzar is a writer, graphic designer, energy healer, and organizer located in Chicago, IL. She enjoys engaging in social experiments on dating apps, breaking down corrupt systems within higher education such as Title IX, and nurturing her spiritual practices as a fundamental tool for creative healing. Noëlle has presented her work at readings and exhibitions around Chicago, working with organizations such as the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Cards Against Humanity, Design Museum of Chicago and Hairpin Arts Center. She is a recipient of the 2018 Luminarts Creative Writing Fellowship and is currently working on a collection of essays on how femme bodies morph within virtual spaces.
Madison Smith / Co-Founder
Madison Smith is a Chicago-based interdisciplinary artist and art historian exploring ideas of intimacy, flatness, and autobiography using mediums of fiber art and sculptural installation. Smith has managed a diverse range of public programs in partnership with institutions such as the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Architecture Center, Evanston Art Center, Field Museum and LATITUDE | Chicago. Smith is a former LATITUDE | Chicago Programming Fellow and former Project Manager of the ECLIPSING: Death & Transformation festival.
Allison Parssi / Fair Coordinator
Allison Parssi is a photographer, bookmaker, and DJ living and working in Chicago, IL. Her personal work focuses on recording the passage of time - whether it’s over the course of a few minutes or over millions of years - with technical process playing a heavy hand in reinforcing each project. Parssi has collaborated with artists and educators throughout Chicago bringing projects, classes, and workshops to fruition. Parssi is a former LATITUDE | Chicago Education Fellow and currently an Assistant Music Director and DJ at the Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP).
Madeline Vaccaro / Outreach Coordinator
Madeline Vaccaro is an artist, educator, armchair philosopher, and curious person living and working in Chicago, IL. She often thinks about how we make meaning in our lives, the usefulness of objects, and the magic of relation. She is human, above all, and is constantly trying to connect with more people and to put good vibes out into the world. Her curiosity has led her to study in the fields of art, design, writing, and philosophy. You can often find her helping other creatives realize their ideas through workshops and hands on instruction.
