Handling Artists, with Care.

Marks On Canvas is a boutique agency providing studio and artist management solutions to Chicago-based BIPOC artists and BIPOC led arts organizations. We play a crucial role in supporting artists by handling the business and administrative aspects of their work, allowing them to channel more energy and focus towards their artistic process. Our collaborative and care-driven approach enhances the creative output and long-term success of artists and their projects.

Solutions

  • Project Partnership

    Liaising with collaborators to define project scopes and statements of work, clarify requirements, explain executable ideas clearly and manage expectations transparently

  • Arts Administration

    Sourcing solutions to administrative tasks, such as handling contracts, invoices, travel arrangements and reimbursements

  • Logistical Support

    Organizing & coordinating materials, exhibitions, resources, etc.

  • Time Management

    Managing schedules, deadlines, and capacities; helping evolve creative concepts into clear sets of deliverables, ensuring deadlines are met

  • Strategic Communications

    Promoting artist work by managing marketing strategy, such as website, social media, newsletters, and press releases

  • Networking and Collaborations

    Facilitating connections with other artists, galleries, art professionals, and other new business ventures to broaden artists’ potential for collaboration and exposure

What Artists and Administrators Are Saying:

  • Kate Dumbleton

    EXECUTIVE & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
    THE HYDE PARK JAZZ FESTIVAL

    "Working with Bianca Marks and her team at Marks on Canvas has been a true pleasure. Bianca is an exceptional professional who skillfully balances an empathetic and generative approach to working with artists with delivering on the needs of production partners. She is responsive, focused, and organized. As an arts administrator, she makes so much happen behind the scenes seamlessly. The impact of the artists Bianca works with in Chicago is elevated by her work with them, although she is so good at it that you'd never know. Look behind the curtain and there she is making it happen--my highest compliment!"


    Image by Michael Tercha

  • Amanda Williams

    MACARTHUR FELLOW
    ARTIST & ARCHITECT

    “Bianca has proven to be an invaluable resource in my artistic pursuits. I engaged her services at a moment when I could no longer stay on top of the volume of interest my work was generating. Artists are increasingly expected to manage every component of their artistic practice, often at the consequence of creative production itself. Bianca's expertise in marketing, promotions, social media and time management have allowed me to more effectively share my work while also helping me regain much needed studio time. She is astute, compassionate, professional and smart. Her background in marketing and passion for art are a perfect combination. I'd highly recommend her services.”

  • Gwendolyn Perry Davis

    DEPUTY DIRECTOR & CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
    MCA CHICAGO

    “Bianca and her team at Marks on Canvas bring empathy, innovation, and precision in their support of exceptional artists. They go far beyond traditional artist management – they're transformative partners who catalyze opportunities and nurture collaborative communities. Their unique approach isn't just about managing logistics; it's about reimagining how artists and institutions work together. Through their work, they're leaving an indelible mark on Chicago's arts ecosystem.”

  • Faheem Majeed

    VISUAL ARTIST
    CO-DIRECTOR & FOUNDER
    FLOATING MUSEUM

    “There is no Floating Museum without Bianca Marks.” –New City October 2023

  • Mariela Acuña

    DIRECTOR OF EXHIBITIONS & RESIDENCY PROGRAMS
    HYDE PARK ART CENTER

    “Bianca Marks is a great asset to any artist's studio. She is an agile project manager who knows how to help artists move projects forward with the right amount of diligence and sensitivity. As a curator, I wish every artist had someone like Bianca to assist with communications, deadlines, logistics, and administration so they can focus on making their work. Bianca has done a great job identifying the needs that artists have in their studios and developing her own capacity to fill those gaps.”

    Image by Tran Tran
    Artworks by William Estrada

  • Allison Peters Quinn

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CHIEF CURATOR
    ELMHURST ART MUSEUM


    “Artists are great at dreaming up ambitious projects but often the logistics of the project, like maintaining communications with vendors, curators, and press, is overwhelming. Bianca has substantial experience working with artists who were able to elevate their practice with her assistance. Her ability to organize logistics, streamline communication, create project timelines, and manage priorities guarantee the successful completion of large-scale artworks and commissions.  I know that when an artist is working with Bianca, she will make sure we keep the project on schedule and any problems that arise will be addressed promptly and she will bring solutions to the table. Every artist who wants to grow their practice – and take advantage of big opportunities that come their way– needs a Bianca!”

  • avery r. young

    CHICAGO’S INAUGURAL POET LAUREATE
    INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTIST
    EDUCATOR
    CO-DIRECTOR, FLOATING MUSEUM

    “What is there to say about Bianca and the work of Marks On Canvas. Especially when a damn good job, blk, won't do? For me working with Marks On Canvas has helped me frame my art practice as a sequence of commitments, as opposed to overlapping demands blotting up a calendar. This alone helps me to focus on the art-making. And for me that makes Mark On Canvas essential to the working I am out in these streets doing. ✊🏾”

    Image by Sulyiman Stokes

Let’s Create!