Public Art Youth Employment 2025

About the Public Art Youth Employment Program

Public Art Youth Employment Programs give teens and young adults apprenticeships and internships creating large-scale public art and multimedia projects. Youth Apprentices are guided by professional teaching artists from the initial concept development through client presentation, to the final edit and public unveiling or premiere. Along the way, they gain tangible employment and life skills such as leadership, teamwork, responsibility and the power of taking initiative. They are empowered by the enduring accomplishment in their work of art and its positive impact on the community. 

This summer, Creative Art Works is employing 135 Youth Apprentices at six worksites. We look forward to sharing the work with you as it progresses and hope you will join us at an unveiling, presentation or premiere on August, 12th, 13th, or 14th. Check this page for evolving details on these events. 

About our Summer 2025 Worksites

BXP

Long-time supporter BXP has commissioned youth-created artwork for one of their marketing centers. The team is designing an abstract, modular work on five canvases that can be subsequently reconfigured to enhance new spaces. 

Teaching Artists: Farah Mohammad and Natalie Raskin. Teaching Artist Assistant-in-Training: Jonathan Hyman.

Unveiling:
1:00 PM, Tuesday, August 12th
360 Park Avenue South (btwn 25th and 26th Street), New York, NY 10010
NOTE: Advance registration is required. For more information, email programs@creativeartworks.org.

Kings County Family Court

CAW has painted more than 20 murals at Family Courthouses in Manhattan, Queens, and The Bronx; this project marks our first partnership in Kings County. A series of panels invoking transom windows to another world will create a more welcoming waiting area outside the courtrooms on the ninth floor. 

Teaching Artists: Dani Coca and Colleen Kong-Savage. Teaching Artist Assistant: Cass Waters.

Unveiling:
1:00 PM, Tuesday, August 12th
Kings County Family Court
330 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
NOTE: Attendance is limited and advance registration is strictly required. For more information, email programs@creativeartworks.org.

Jacob H. Schiff School Campus

CAW is painting a new 170-foot mural for the Jacob H. Schiff School Campus, home of PS 192 and Hamilton Grange Middle School. The expansive work will celebrate school values and the local community. 

Teaching Artists: Noga Cohen and Abby Walsh. Teaching Artist Assistant: Yotzin Reyes. Teaching Artist Assistant-in-Training: Micaela Jimenez.

Unveiling:
1:00 PM, Thursday, August 14th
The Jacob Schiff School Auditorium, 500 West 138th Street (btwn Hamilton Place & Amsterdam), New York, NY 10031

Grant Houses

The game room in NYCHA's Grant Houses is a favorite gathering space for resident teens, but the decor needs a serious refresh. The NYC Department of Youth & Community Development has engaged CAW  to take on this project as part of a larger beautification initiative for its Cornerstone Centers.

Teaching Artist: Will Watson. Teaching Artist Assistant: Becky Schuman.

Unveiling:
Wednesday, August 13th, Time TBD
Watch this space for more information.
NOTE: Advance registration is required. For more information, email programs@creativeartworks.org.

New York City Family Court

In our first digital arts project for the NYC Family Court, our artist team is designing a printed guidebook to help visitors understand the people and procedures that strive to protect NYC families at all five NYC County Courthouses. The publication will center the youth perspective and is being implemented with the support of the NYS Unified Court System, Office for Justice Initiatives.

Teaching Artists: Hazza Block and Sofi Pujol. Teaching Artist Assistant-in-Training: Cristyana Navas.

Presentation:
Wednesday, August 13th, Time TBD
Watch this space for more information.
NOTE: This event will be live streamed. For more information, email programs@creativeartworks.org.

West Harlem Oral History Project

Youth Apprentices are creating an oral history film that will celebrate the West Harlem community and its vibrant arts scene.

World Premiere and Grand Culminating Event:
3:30 PM, Thursday, August 14th
The Forum at Columbia University, 601 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027

Teaching Artists: Syr-Ivan Bennett and Amrita Singh. Teaching Artist Assistant-in-Training: Ali Martinez.

NOTE: Tickets are free but advanced registration is required. Email programs@creativeartworks.org.

Mon Iker is the Teaching Artist Floater for all worksites.

Our People

Staff

Karen Jolicoeur, Executive Director
Ian Newton, Director of Finance and Administration
Riki Sabel, Program Manager | Teaching and Learning
Donna Manganello, Program Manager
Kevin Claiborne, Program Manager
Ivory Nunez-Medrano, Community Artmaking Initiatives Coordinator
Emilio Vides-Curnen, Operations Coordinator      
Madeline De León, Program Coordinator
Clair Vogel, Development Manager
Scott Lucas, Marketing & Communications Manager
Jill Goldstein, Office Manager

Our Thanks

Creative Art Work’s Public Art Youth Employment program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. 

Creative Art Work’s programming is made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.