grace needlman

Grace Needlman (they/she) is a Chicago-based theater designer and facilitator. They make puppets and environments for performance, working collaboratively with other artists to tell moving human stories. As Co-Director of the Chicago Puppet Lab, Grace works to create equitable pathways for puppeteers in Chicago. Previously, Grace managed studio programs at Marwen, building inspiring learning communities through art. Before that, they 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. They are currently pursuing an MFA in Stage Design at Northwestern University.