grace needlman

Grace Needlman (they/she) is a cultural worker and maker preoccupied with questions of collective imagination and agency. Grace’s puppet designs have appeared in theatrical productions across Chicago. As a company member at Rough House and Co-Director of the Chicago Puppet Lab, Grace works to create equitable pathways for puppeteers in Chicago. Grace is also the Manager of Studio Programs at Marwen, supporting artists and youth in building inspiring learning communities through art. Previously, Grace managed family and youth programs at the MCA where they worked to put museum resources in the hands of Chicago youth and fostered connections between artists and intergenerational publics. They publish and present on youth agency, collaboration, and queering museums. Grace graduated with a BA in fine art from Yale University and an MA in Contemporary Art Theory from Goldsmiths University of London.