Maya Collins

Maya Collins is an artist, writer of poetry, and community organizer. As a creative in today’s world, their hope is to be a source of vulnerable storytelling, open discourse, and communal growth. 

Maya is the founder and president of Chroma. This community organization seeks to equip marginalized communities toward self love and advocacy within anti-racist and queer-affirming frameworks. Programming includes weekly lecture and discussion-based educational sessions, mutual aid, community events, and an original zine. 

Before this they founded and directed the 2021 and 2022 Women in the Arts events based in Newtown Square and West Chester, Pennsylvania. The two day, mult-site event was born of a desire to demonstrate the diversity of art forms in which contemporary female artists excel. It featured a series of vocal, dance, and oral performances, a lecture from a guest speaker, a juried exhibition, a national writing contest, an arts and craft fair with local artists and vendors, and a fundraiser for a missionally aligned nonprofit.

As an artist in their own right, Maya has shown and sold artwork in a variety of juried fine art shows and arts and craft fairs, as well as published in art and literary magazines. They are currently working on an audio-visual installation and art performance in partnership with the Chicago Production House, LUMIN8 Productions. They have written and published two chapbooks through Bottlecap Press, and are the recipient of the Lowell-Grabill Poetry Award, presented by guest judge Shane McCrae. 

Maya recently joined High Concept Labs as an intern. From their passion for concept-driven work to their experience in the nonprofit sector, they are excited to be joining the High Concept Labs community. 

Maya currently attends Wheaton College where they are pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in English Writing & Studio Art, with a Minor in Urban Studies.

Previous
Previous

Angee Lennard

Next
Next

Kevin Simmons