20-Feb-18 – A graffiti artist will live rent-free for a year in a luxury high-rise River North apartment in exchange for being the building’s artist-in-residence.

Luis Ramirez was selected as the Gallery Graffitist at The Gallery on Wells, a 39-story 442-unit rental property at North Wells Street & West Erie Street.

Magellan Development Group, developer of the property, calls it an amenity for residents. They will be offered art lessons from Ramirez and he will create murals and other works of art to decorate walls throughout the building.

Ramirez (left) was officially welcomed to The Gallery on Wells on February 7. He has started on his first mural, on a wall in the building’s fitness center.

Last April, Jeremy Gentry was selected as musician-in-residence at Exhibit on Superior, a 34-story 298-unit apartment building also developed by Magellan Development Group. During his year-long gig, Gentry will entertain and instruct other residents 8-10 hours per week, then, says Magellan, “hone his craft without the burden of living expenses.”