Testimonials on Mentoring Artists Chicago
   “Hi, everybody! My name is Megan Burback. I am the 2019 Mentoring Artists Chicago vocal winner. Mentoring Artists Chicago. has just been such an amazing experience. I feel like the Mentoring Artists Chicago team members just have taken me under their wing and they mentored me and they just genuinely want me to succeed as a singer and an artist and as a person. I have gotten so many opportunities since winning. I’ve taken song writing classes and acting classes. They’ve helped me get into the room of Casting Directors and I have some awesome auditions coming up, but most importantly Mentoring Artists Chicago has given me the confidence to take my singing career to the next level so I feel super thankful that I am a part of the Mentoring Artists Chicago family.”
​--Megan Burback 2019 Vocal Winner
“Hi, my name is Haley Peterson and I was Mentoring Artists Chicago's dance scholarship winner in 2018. Mentoring Artists Chicago is a wonderful organization that supports Chicago Artists throughout the community not only through financial support but also through mentoring during the program and then afterwards they always keep in touch and ask me about any projects I’ve been working on or any performances I’m in, but since Mentoring Artists Chicago in 2018, I have continued my dance studies at Columbia College Chicago where I have danced in a number of different works on the dance center stage and I’ve also been able to go to France this past summer through Columbia a program called CAMPING where me and a bunch of other students were chosen to go to the Central National Dance in Paris to collaborate with artists from around the world so there were artists from so many places: Korea, China, Israel, even Russia and then a few other people from the U.S. and we were all able to collaborate different ideas and I was able to see how different cultures went about their training so I learned a lot on the trip and I even got to work with well known choreographers from Amsterdam and Paris but I think overall on the trip just by collaborating with so many different artists I was truly able to learn a lot about my own identity and authentic voice in the dance field and I want to keep continuing to shape the dance field by making my own work but also encouraging the artists around me because there are so many amazing dance artists in our community and I want to continue to use them as inspiration, as well as, for my own ideas; but I’m truly grateful to Mentoring Artists Chicago for allowing us artists to continue working and pursuing our passion. I am so passionate about dance and I’m so grateful that Mentoring Artists Chicago has allowed me to continue doing what I love, so thank you Mentoring Artists Chicago.
​ --Haley Peterson 2018 Dance Winner
   “Hi, I’m Miriam Rose and I’m here to spend a few minutes talking about my experience with Mentoring Artists Chicago. Last year, I competed in Mentoring Artists Chicago Gala Talent Competition.’ The experience was different than any other performing experience I’ve had for a variety of reasons. As a performing artist, I mostly performed in theatre settings and I rarely compete. In my limited experience competing, however, I have never been in a competition environment that felt so supportive. Not only did we have encouragement from our mentors on the Mentoring Artists Chicago team, but there was an atmosphere of camaraderie among the finalists as well. Each finalist had a positive spirit and dedication to their craft, which was certainly admirable. I have been particularly inspired by Rebecca Brunner the 2017 winner of the voice category for Mentoring Artists Chicago whose career has really taken off since she won. She’s been fortunate enough to perform on The Voice and at South By Southwest. I look forward to seeing where her career takes her in the future. My Mentoring Artists Chicago experience was also unique in that such a wide variety of genres were represented. Among the finalists, we had everything from flamenco to hip hop in the dance category and I remember being the only classical ballet dancer. With that, came one of my biggest challenges, which was approaching the performance space itself. As a classical dancer, I often wear point shoes, which have a satin exterior and can be pretty slippery on floors. Like the one we were performing on a polished wood floor. Normally point shoes are recommended for a marley floor, which can provide a little bit more traction. In this case, I had to get creative so I sprayed my shoes with rubber backing paint and that kept them from slipping. It was the first time I’d ever try anything like that but it was a successful experiment and I felt I danced well. I wasn’t sure how the judges would respond to the classical art form given the wide variety of genres represented. However, I was surprised and delighted to be chosen as the 2017 dance category winner. I am so grateful to Lily for founding Mentoring Artists Chicago and for supporting artists like me and for allowing the type of support that Mentoring Artists Chicago offers for young artists in making that a reality. So thank you to Mentoring Artists Chicago Thank you for your support and your mentorship and your encouragement. I look forward to staying in touch and seeing the competitors at this year’s Mentoring Artists Chicago Gala.”
​--Miriam Rose 2017 Dance Winner
​   I just wanted to personally thank you for the opportunity to study through Mentoring Artists Chicago with Brenda. This has been such a wonderful process and I was able to grow so much with a wonderful teacher.  I truly appreciate the time and thoughtfulness that went into each course.         --Sophia P
   Thank you!!!! These past few months have been nothing short of a blessing for me!!!! I appreciate the opportunity that was given to me along with the rest of the talent. I have learned so much from you and I'm prepared more than ever and I am more confident in my decisions. . . I'm applying everything. My growth is undeniable and I love it!!!
​--Tiffany J. Ardis
   I wanted to personally thank you for making the Mentoring Artists Chicago workshop possible! I could not express enough how much this workshop has kept me sane all throughout quarantine. I unfortunately lost my job due to the pandemic and was feeling really down and out, but these classes with Brenda have not only given me hope and something to look forward to each week, but it's given me the opportunity to work on my craft from lessons I will forever hold on to. Brenda is brilliant at what she does and pushed me to become a better well rounded actor. I'm overflowing with gratitude towards the foundation and appreciate you so much.
​-Vena H