YI On the Road
Aug 23, 2010
Teens at ICA/Boston hosted their first summer Teen Night during the National Convening for Teens in the Arts, treating participants to a showcase of local talent, 2010. Photograph by Danielle Linzer
In August, the Whitney was invited to participate in a National Convening for Teens in the Arts, organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston. This amazing conference brought together teens and educators from seven institutions across the nation: the ICA in Boston, MA; the Whitney and the Bronx Museum in New York, NY; Marwen in Chicago, IL; the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans, LA; the Seattle Art Museum in Seattle, WA; and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, MN. The Whitney’s programs were represented by Seon and Oge, two recent participants in the Youth Insights Artists and Youth Insights Writers programs. On the first day of the conference, Seon and Oge presented on their experiences in the Whitney's programs, and shared their own works of art and writing.
During our three days in Boston, we learned about everyone’s programs, made new friends and connections, created art together, explored the city, and tried some amazing Boston cream pie. But perhaps most importantly, we engaged in a really remarkable dialogue touching on very complex issues relating to teen programming in art museums, including museums as safe spaces, civic engagement and social justice, youth leadership, and education in the twenty-first century. Each group brought their unique perspectives and experiences to the table, and the exchange of ideas was both challenging and inspiring.
To learn more about the Teen Convening, check out this video, produced by Colleen Brogan at the ICA/Boston.
By Danielle Linzer, Youth Programs Coordinator