Meet the Team!
Grace Hudson
Executive Director
Grace brings a diverse set of experiences to the Arts for All team. With a B.S. in General and Special Education, as well as a concentration in Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages, from Huntington University, Grace has a passion for education, art, and individuals with disabilities. Grace has spent time in various classroom settings working with students of all ages and abilities, and believes that our community thrives when we embrace our differences.
Grace is also an artist herself, specializing in portrait and lifestyle photography, but a lover of experimenting and collecting any kind of art she can get her hands on. Grace loves that she can combine her passion for promoting inclusion and adaptive opportunities, as well as her passion for arts and culture in a position that is making a difference in her own community.
Melissa Johnson
Program Director
Melissa recently joined the staff at Arts for All, after serving as Executive Director for Blackbird Arts for seven years. She holds a BS and MA in Anthropology from Loyola University and the University of Illinois-Chicago and spent 10 years in archaeology and cross-cultural studies. While working as an exhibit developer/writer for The Field Museum, she found herself in city classrooms and fell in love with teaching and the power of communal learning. She was introduced to the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) program pursued a Masters in Education at DePaul University. She has spent the last 15 years teaching and integrating the arts into people’s lives and exploring how the arts strengthen communities. She has been committed to inclusive arts education and in finding new ways to engage the community through the arts.