12 Activities

ArtsConnection

Linking New York's cultural resources to the developmental and educational needs of teens, ArtsConnection provides space for artistic expression, experiential learning, and leadership development — serving over 26,000 in-school, afterschool, and out-of-school time students across all five boroughs.

ArtsConnection brings arts enrichment to out-of-school time learning environments by empowering youth to use their creativity through resources designed with a social justice lens. Explore their activities as standalone lessons or follow their suggested scaffolded guides.

Activities

How to Look at Monuments

Arts • History and Society

1h 30m

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Grades 9 - 12

How to Look at Monuments

By ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1h 30m

Guide young people in observing, describing, and analyzing local or global monuments. Through multimedia research, writing, and discussion, respond to the questions: Who's history do they include and who do they exclude? Which monuments would you take down and what new monuments would you put up?

Monuments to individuals, historical events, or movements have been created throughout time and around the world, in cities and towns big and small. Sometimes we pass them by without even knowing who or what they depict, and other times they elicit anger, offense, and a call to remove them. This activity asks teens to weigh in on the global debate around how monuments reflect our society and what should be done when they no longer represent our communities.

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How to Look at Monuments

Arts • History and Society

1h 30m•Grades 9 - 12

Art2Art: Responding to Music through Visual Arts

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m

•

Grades 9 - 12

Art2Art: Responding to Music through Visual Arts

By ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1h 30m

Take inspiration from one art form -- music -- and channel it into another -- visual art. Students will create a multimedia collage in response to the mood, meaning, and personal connections they interpret from a piece of music. In this interdisciplinary arts experience, students experiment with drawing and collage materials and explore their artistic process.

This activity is 1 of 2 in the Art2Art: Responding to the Arts through Theater & Visual Art Module, Visit the module for a full list of activities.

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Art2Art: Responding to Music through Visual Arts

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m•Grades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Developing a Theme

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m

•

Grades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Developing a Theme

By ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1h 30m

The goal of Teens Curate Teens is to collaboratively assemble an exhibition of artwork created by teens exploring a compelling theme. To start, teens will brainstorm topics or issues important to them. After selecting a theme, students will research multiple viewpoints on the theme. Finally they'll work independently or collaboratively to write an introductory text for their exhibition.

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Teens Curate Teens: Developing a Theme

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m•Grades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Creating the Open Call for Art

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m

•

Grades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Creating the Open Call for Art

By ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1h 30m

Students work collaboratively to create a “Call for Art” for a upcoming art exhibition for teen artists that will alert artists to the opportunity and inspire them to engage. A flyer or poster is a great way to get the word out and can include visuals and text that will help artists understand the requirements and guidelines for possible inclusion in the exhibition. After deciding what criteria the curators will be using to judge the artworks for inclusion in the exhibition, they'll communicate those to the artists.

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Teens Curate Teens: Creating the Open Call for Art

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m•Grades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Selecting the Artwork

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m

•

Grades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Selecting the Artwork

By ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1h 30m

In this next step of curating a teen art exhibition, students learn to work collaboratively to select artwork for the exhibition, notify the applicants, and discuss details about artwork with selected artists.

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Teens Curate Teens: Selecting the Artwork

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m•Grades 9 - 12

OnTRaC: Networking for Creative Careers

Arts • Career and Future Readiness

1h 30m

•

Grades 9 - 12

OnTRaC: Networking for Creative Careers

By ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1h 30m

This activity invites young people to explore careers in the arts and creative fields by first identifying the skills and resources in their own personal networks. Using brainstorming, drawing mind maps, and group discussion, participants will create a roadmap for a professional network that will help guide them in their goals. Then, young people will role-play networking conversations.

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OnTRaC: Networking for Creative Careers

Arts • Career and Future Readiness

1h 30m•Grades 9 - 12

OnTRaC: Acting the Interview

Literacy • Arts

1h 30m

•

Grades 9 - 12

OnTRaC: Acting the Interview

By ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1h 30m

Theater exercises allow young people to practice eye contact, projecting their voices, and speaking with confidence – skills necessary in theater, as well as in job interviews. In an arts-led strengths inventory, students brainstorm careers, jobs, personal and academic interests. Then, they role-play or improvise a simple interview scene - taking turns being the interviewee and being the interviewer to build their confidence in speaking in more formal scenarios like a job interview.

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OnTRaC: Acting the Interview

Literacy • Arts

1h 30m•Grades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Designing the Exhibition

Arts • Literacy

•

Grades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Designing the Exhibition

By ArtsConnection

9 - 12

How does a curator design an exhibition? How do we communicate our theme through the layout or arrangement of the exhibition?

Participants learn to work as a team to design the exhibit space and place each of the selected artworks in the space for the teen art exhibition.

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Teens Curate Teens: Designing the Exhibition

Arts • Literacy

2h•Grades 9 - 12

How to Look at Dance

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m

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Grades 9 - 12

How to Look at Dance

By ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1h 30m

In this activity, students will practice discussing dance, by first observing and describing ordinary everyday movements. Then, students will apply a critical framework to describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate dances. Students will write a four-sentence dance review; the same process can be used to review modern dance, hip hop, culturally specific dance, and more.

Dance is found in every culture and time period and is evolving all the time. The goal of this lesson is to demystify the discussion and vocabulary about dance through simple observation, description, guided analysis, and freely interpreting everyday activities. Knowledge of any particular dance technique is not needed for this activity.

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How to Look at Dance

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m•Grades 9 - 12

OnTRaC: Invite a Guest Artist to Visit

Arts • Career and Future Readiness

1h 30m

•

Grades 9 - 12

OnTRaC: Invite a Guest Artist to Visit

By ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1h 30m

Learn more about career paths in the arts and creative industries by inviting a guest artist or creative professional to visit. Use this structure to best prepare for and make the most of your guest's visit. Collaboratively brainstorm a list of questions to ask your guest artist to learn more about their experience, education, artwork, and the path that lead them to where they are today. Invite them to share their art with you. Make new community connections and expand your network in the arts.

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OnTRaC: Invite a Guest Artist to Visit

Arts • Career and Future Readiness

1h 30m•Grades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Artist Resource Meeting

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m

•

Grades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Artist Resource Meeting

By ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1h 30m

This is a gathering of all of the artists and curators working together to create the teen art exhibition. They have small group discussions to learn more about one another's roles. Artists get to see the exhibition space or photos/video of the space. Curators present a slide show of the artists' work for everyone to see. Curators give an overview of the theme and why it was chosen, and share important dates to remember, information about artwork delivery, the opening, and the exhibition.

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Teens Curate Teens: Artist Resource Meeting

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m•Grades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Opening the Exhibition

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m

•

Grades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Opening the Exhibition

By ArtsConnection

9 - 12

1h 30m

It's the exhibition opening! Teen curators work as a collective team to design, plan, install, and host an art event featuring artwork by teens open to the public. Students prepare for the opening and dates of the exhibition.

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Teens Curate Teens: Opening the Exhibition

Arts • Literacy

1h 30m•Grades 9 - 12

Featured in These Collections

American History: Elevating Black Voices (6-12)

Leadership and Teamwork • History and Society • Literacy

130 Items

•

Grades 6 - 12

Collection

American History: Elevating Black Voices (6-12)

6 - 12

The American History: Elevating Black Voices Collection is a weekly, inquiry-driven playlist that invites learners to examine how storytelling, innovation, creativity, and leadership shape American history and civic life. Through complex texts, Innovator Trading Cards, and theme-based activities across literacy, STEM, the arts, and collaborative problem-solving, students engage with lesser-known Black Americans—whose contributions have influenced systems, culture, and community change. Each week introduces a thematic lens that builds historical analysis, critical reading, argumentation, and interdisciplinary thinking, culminating in a challenge-based game that requires evidence, reasoning, and collaboration. Designed to support meaningful discussion and application, this Collection highlights innovation as a collective process and underscores the power of amplifying voices that shape our shared history.

This collection is designed to have learners apply ideas from the weekly themes introduced through the Innovator Playing Cards with additional related activities; it is recommended to follow this sequence to maintain consistency:

Week 1: Storytelling and Voice

Designing Innovator Trading Cards

What Makes a Good Story?

One Minute Speeches

Erasure Poetry as Resistance

Week 2: Inventing and Problem Solving

Designing Innovator Trading Cards

Cell City

Catapult (Team Building) Game

Build an Extension Arm

Week 3: Creativity and Expression

Designing Innovator Trading Cards

Create a Cardboard Self-Portrait

Improv: Say the Line

How to Look at Dance

Week 4: Leadership and Change

Designing Innovator Trading Cards

Playing Innovator Trading Cards

Analyzing and Constructing Timelines of Racial (In)justice

Dream Team

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American History: Elevating Black Voices (6-12)

Leadership and Teamwork • History and Society • Literacy

Grades 6 - 12

COLLECTION

How to Look: Art Exploration for Teens

Digital Media and Communications • Arts

20 Items

•

Grades 9 - 12

Collection

How to Look: Art Exploration for Teens

9 - 12

You don't need to be an expert to look at, discuss and respond to art. Use the activities, tools and resources in the How to Look: Exploring Art for Teens collection to help students explore, discuss and write about visual arts, monuments and dance. Guide teens through observing, analyzing, sharing ideas and opinions about the art they encounter and the world around them.

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How to Look: Art Exploration for Teens

Digital Media and Communications • Arts

Grades 9 - 12

COLLECTION

OnTRaC: Using Theater to Explore Careers in the Arts

Career and Future Readiness • Arts

30 Items

•

Grades 9 - 12

Collection

OnTRaC: Using Theater to Explore Careers in the Arts

9 - 12

OnTRaC: Using Theater to Explore Careers in the Arts is a series of art-led activities that encourage young people to identify careers in the arts and creative fields. Students begin by identifying arts careers represented in their personal networks and within their own communities, as well as arts and creative fields that they're interested in learning more about. Then, they use improvisational theater activities to practice interview skills - for any school or job interview. Find a structure and framework to support young people to host a Visit with an Arts Professional. OnTRaC uses theater techniques as an entry point -- students engage in ice-breaker activities, role-play and other activities to increase skills in support of college and career readiness, including first impressions, networking and interviewing skills.

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OnTRaC: Using Theater to Explore Careers in the Arts

Career and Future Readiness • Arts

Grades 9 - 12

COLLECTION

Teens Curate Teens: Curating an Art Exhibition

Literacy • Arts

60 Items

•

Grades 9 - 12

Collection

Teens Curate Teens: Curating an Art Exhibition

9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens offers a process for young people to take on the responsibility for creating all aspects of an exhibition. A curator is in charge of selecting artwork for an exhibition or presentation. Learn how a curator or curatorial team creates an art exhibit that gives voice to their peers’ concerns and interests to possibly initiate change. Students develop their collaborative skills to identify a common theme to create a dynamic art event for their community. Together the team chooses a location for the event, guidelines for the artists’ application, outreach, criteria for selection, marketing and PR, placement of the artwork in the space, and the opening & programing of the exhibit.

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Teens Curate Teens: Curating an Art Exhibition

Literacy • Arts

Grades 9 - 12

COLLECTION