Kelly Cheatle’s unusual art career has taken her across the globe, designing and directing the creation of massive-scale community-built sculptures. Her experiences both in art and community organizing have illuminated the immense potential of collective action, revealing not only how people eagerly contribute to the greater good when given support and opportunity, but the importance of creating spaces for collaboration and creativity.
Both light-hearted and lion-hearted, Kelly combines her extensive design, logistics, and marketing experience to champion equity and the arts in our community. Unwavering in her commitment to the common good, she fearlessly challenges the status quo when it falls short of serving the people and is a passionate advocate for informed decision-making.
Kelly is also a Guinness World Record holder and Silver Abby award winner whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post and Make Magazine. She is also the co-author and illustrator of two children’s books, Artist Eyes and And He Puffed, as well as an essayist.
Kelly is actively involved in supporting community-centered initiatives, including supporting housing justice and helping to stop the downtown 2022-24 “Business Improvement District” effort that sought to sidestep local democracy and take advantage of goodwill.