Darshita Jain

Darshita Jain has extensive experience in various roles related to community outreach, program development, and arts administration. Darshita is currently serving as the Director of Community Outreach at Lillstreet Art Center, where they are responsible for running and redesigning the Artist in Residence program, building equitable rubrics for candidate evaluation, and developing outreach initiatives with the Greater Ravenswood Community and the Northside of the city.

Prior to their current role, Darshita worked as the Director of Outreach and Artist Programs at Lillstreet Art Center. Darshita has also held positions such as Book Reviewer at Newcity, Public Programs and Community Dialogue Lead at Woman Made Gallery, and Outreach Manager - Midwest at The Speakeasy Project.

Darshita's experience also includes serving as the Editor - Literature at F Newsmagazine, where they redesigned the Lit Section to include literary criticism and book reviews and curated a team of writers of color. Darshita also worked as a Graduate Student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where they further honed their skills in the arts.

In addition to their work in the art world, Darshita has also been involved in community-based initiatives. As the Co-Founder of Povera, they developed and led spoken word poetry workshops for disadvantaged school kids, organized spoken word events, and published a bimonthly zine. Darshita also has experience as a Content Writer at Fibre2Fashion Pvt. Ltd. and as a Content Curator at Shyamal & Bhumika.

Throughout their career, Darshita has demonstrated a passion for bridging gaps between communities and the arts, fostering dialogue, and promoting diversity through their work.

Darshita Jain's education history begins in 2008 when they attended Anandalaya Education Society, although the specific degree and field of study are unknown. Darshita then pursued a Bachelor's degree in Fashion/Apparel Design from the National Institute of Fashion Technology India, completing their studies in 2015. In 2018, Darshita enrolled at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where they obtained a Master of Arts (MA) degree in New Arts Journalism in 2020. Additionally, they pursued further education at the same institution, completing a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in New Arts Journalism, although the specific dates of this program are not provided.

Darshita also has several certifications. In 2015, they obtained a certificate in Management of Fashion and Luxury Companies from Coursera Course Certificates. In 2016, they received a certificate in Fashion Essentials from Parsons Teen Vogue Fashion Industry Essentials. In 2018, they completed the Mental Health First Aid certification from the Mental Health First Aid institution. Lastly, in 2020, they obtained a certification in Child Abuse Reporting from the Chicago Public Schools.