Snow City Arts is honored to share the recipient of the 2026 Katie Kurcz Memorial Fund Award—an annual initiative established in memory of our beloved Auxiliary Board Member, Katie Kurcz. This award continues to support the artistic and professional growth of our Teaching Artists and deepens the creative impact they have on young people in hospital settings. This year, we are proud to award Walter Li (they/them), a Teaching Artist whose proposal reflects the heart and spirit of this fund: innovation, community-building, and the power of self-expression.
Walter is a Teaching Artist who has spent the last year exploring the world of DIY and underground cultures with students at Lurie Children’s, Cook County, and Rush. Using the Katie Kurcz Memorial Fund, Walter is launching a two-part project to solidify a “communal artmaking ecosystem” within the hospitals.
“I have discussed with students how one-page zines offer autonomy in the publication process, allowing an artist to take control of distributing their stories.” expressed Walter.
The first cornerstone of this project is the creation of the Snow City Arts Zine Library. Walter will curate a collection of “zines,” which are self-published, DIY booklets, from local Chicago artists to serve as inspiration for our students. The artists featured in the library will be compensated for their work. By establishing both physical and digital versions of this library, Walter is ensuring that these creative resources remain accessible to all students, even those under strict isolation or contamination protocols.
The second component of the project focuses on the tactile art of screenprinting. Walter will commission original designs from local artists, which students will then use to print and “remix” onto t-shirts and tote bags. This initiative connects students directly to the vibrant art scene of Chicago, showing them that they are part of a larger, living movement of creators.
“Art is not made in a vacuum, and especially not DIY and underground art,” Walter shares. “Connecting students to the larger art world, as well as to examples made by other students, introduces new possibilities of art-making and makes the practice come alive.”
Through this fund, Walter will also produce a second edition of A Zine About Zines, featuring artist interviews and translated versions in Spanish, plain-text, and audio to ensure every student can participate in this rich history of social justice and creative autonomy.
We also want to share an update on last year’s awardee Bree Gordon. Bree successfully launched the Snow City Ukulele Band Initiative (SCUBI), gifting high-quality instruments to students to continue their musical journeys at home and creating a digital library of instructional videos that continues to grow. These videos currently live on Snow City Arts’ Youtube channel and were even featured in our recent Spring Snowcase exhibition. These KKMF funded projects speak so directly to Katie’s legacy of creative access, connection, and care.
This Work is Powered by You
The generosity of our donors, especially those who support the Katie Kurcz Memorial Fund, makes all of this possible. Your belief in the power of the arts empowers Teaching Artists like Bree to innovate, grow, and bring even more meaningful creative opportunities to children in hospitals.
Thank you for uplifting this work and for honoring Katie’s legacy in a way that continues to grow and inspire. Learn more about the fund here: https://snowcityarts.org/donate/katiekurczmemorialfund/
Leave A Comment