SAIC Community Members Named to Newcity’s 2026 Art 50 List

Seventeen members of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) community have been recognized by Newcity magazine’s 2026 “Art 50,” a list which celebrates influential figures shaping Chicago’s visual arts landscape. This year’s honorees included SAIC community members whose work spans exhibition-making, art dealing, advocacy, education, and philanthropy. SAIC community honorees include alums Peter Anastos (BFA 2017), Jessica Cochran (MA 2008), Angee Lennard (BFA 2005), Marc LeBlanc (BFA 2003), William Lieberman (SAIC 1981), Vincent Uribe (BFA, BA 2013), Brian Andrews (MFA 2002), Cortney Lederer (MA 2009), Duncan MacKenzie (MFA 2002), Stephanie Cristello (BFA 2013), Meg Duguid (BFA 1999), Joey Orr (MA 2008), Shannon Stratton (MA 2008), Jeannette Tremblay Chambers (MA 2012), and Mariela Acuña (MA 2022). The list also included SAIC president Jiseon Lee Isbara and Board of Governors member Christy MacLear.

The inclusion of so many SAIC community members reflects the School’s vital role in shaping the many artists, educators, and cultural leaders who contribute to Chicago’s vibrant art ecosystem.