Art for Advocacy
Creative Art Works is committed to amplifying the voice of young people. All of our programs have a social justice focus that challenges students and Youth Apprentices to grapple with weighty subjects in an age-appropriate manner. Whether through the medium of documentary films, animated story-telling, photography, or graphic arts, our young people learn to combine words and images to craft effective and moving messages.
"Hold On" Youth Employment program at Liberty HS
During the PAUSE, Youth Apprentices from Liberty High School created digital posters that answered the question, "What do we want to hold on to from our lives before the pandemic?"
Documentary Film Program at the High School for Law and Public Service
The student film Was It Worth It? explores issues of opportunity and inclusion through the eyes of Natasha Baus, an Ecuadorian immigrant and NYC high school student.
Summer Public Art Youth Employment 2020
Youth Apprentices in this remote program explored social justice issues that had gained momentum in 2020, including police reform, the BLM movement, and the right to peacful protest.
Design for Justice program at the High School for Law and Public Service
This program centered on issues of systematic racism in housing, incarceration, and education. Students explored de facto and de jure segregation through cartography and statistics.
Summer Public Art Youth Employment 2021
Over 75 New Yorkers in multimedia three workforce programs tackled subjects including global warming, police and prison reform, and access to affordable healthcare and housing.
Social Justice Poster Program with Catholic Charities Community Services
In this remote creative workforce development program in digital artmaking, we challenged interns to design effective posters that grapple with weighty subjects in a mature manner.