I was delighted to participate in the Museum of Art and Design‘s professional development workshop for NYC teachers working in ALternative Learning Centers. I started my keynote on “Art and Transformative Education” with a drawing activity and ended with reflections on how art can provide a space for conversations about violence, racism, and inequality that can motivate young people to action. It was inspiring to hear the passion these committed educators have for their students.
Had so much fun learning from the very talented and creative teaching artists at the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program during a workshop I led on “Social Justice Art Education” on February 25, 2014. This tremendous group works with youth groups all over the city and had fantastic insights on what it means to be working artist-teachers trying to empower–not just direct–young people.
Another successful semester of City Art Lab comes to a close with a jam-packed art exhibition of youth artwork. Hosted at Gallery M, the opening attracted close to 150 youth artists, friends, family, and curious passersby. For more information about the projects the graduate students facilitated, check out their regular blog pots on the City Art Lab website.
We boarded a bus bright and early in NYC for MTS‘s first conference road trip to Baltimore for the annual meeting of the American Alliance of Museums. The teen participants wow’ed the international audience with their poise, professionalism, and insight into what works for teens in museums. Afterwards we explored Baltimore, paddled dragon boats in the harbor, and stuffed our bags with pens and post-its at the exhibition hall.
Looking sharp and sounding professional, the teens in Museum Teen Summit presented on Youth, Museums, and Building Community at the New York City Museum Educator’s Roundtable annual meeting. Sharing their ideas and research with a standing-room only crowd, the teens facilitated conversations about what it means to involve youth in museums.
The teens in the Museum Teen Summit have created a brand new website all by themselves. As if that doesn’t blow your minds enough, they also have a classifieds section for all NYC museum teen programs, AND an online magazine about teens, art, and museums.
Hopped right off the plane from South Africa and into a refreshingly candid and inspiringly thoughtful panel discussion with some youth arts powerhouses organized by ELNYA and Smack Mellon Gallery in Brooklyn. They’ve promised to post audio, so stay tuned.
The final exhibition of teen artwork from this spring’s City Art Lab drew crowds of over 150 family, friends, educators, and fans to Azucarar Gallery in Harlem to celebrate the work of a talented group of young artists. The exhibition was curated and installed by the graduate students in City College’s Art Education program. Not a bad way to finish up the semester.