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Teens Curate Teens: Curating an Art Exhibition

6 Activities

Grades 9 - 12

9 Hours

Categories: Arts, Literacy
Learning Standards: National Core Arts Standards

Overview

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.

Continue Your Journey

1

Teens Curate Teens: Developing a Theme

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.
Teens Curate Teens: Developing a ThemeArts, Literacy
1 Hour 30 MinutesGrades 9 - 12

2

Teens Curate Teens: Creating the Open Call for Art

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.
Teens Curate Teens: Creating the Open Call for ArtArts, Literacy
1 Hour 30 MinutesGrades 9 - 12

3

Teens Curate Teens: Selecting the Artwork

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.

Teens Curate Teens: Selecting the ArtworkArts, Literacy
1 Hour 30 MinutesGrades 9 - 12

4

Teens Curate Teens: Artist Resource Meeting

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.
Teens Curate Teens: Artist Resource MeetingArts, Literacy
1 Hour 30 MinutesGrades 9 - 12

5

Teens Curate Teens: Designing the Exhibition

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.
Teens Curate Teens: Designing the ExhibitionArts, Literacy
2 HoursGrades 9 - 12

6

Teens Curate Teens: Opening the Exhibition

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.
Teens Curate Teens: Opening the ExhibitionArts, Literacy
1 Hour 30 MinutesGrades 9 - 12

Teens Curate Teens: Curating an Art Exhibition

Teens Curate Teens: Curating an Art Exhibition

Grades 9 - 12

9 Hours

Overview

Continue Your Journey

1

Teens Curate Teens: Developing a Theme

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.
Teens Curate Teens: Developing a ThemeArts, Literacy
1 Hour 30 MinutesGrades 9 - 12

2

Teens Curate Teens: Creating the Open Call for Art

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.
Teens Curate Teens: Creating the Open Call for ArtArts, Literacy
1 Hour 30 MinutesGrades 9 - 12

3

Teens Curate Teens: Selecting the Artwork

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.

Teens Curate Teens: Selecting the ArtworkArts, Literacy
1 Hour 30 MinutesGrades 9 - 12

4

Teens Curate Teens: Artist Resource Meeting

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.
Teens Curate Teens: Artist Resource MeetingArts, Literacy
1 Hour 30 MinutesGrades 9 - 12

5

Teens Curate Teens: Designing the Exhibition

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.
Teens Curate Teens: Designing the ExhibitionArts, Literacy
2 HoursGrades 9 - 12

6

Teens Curate Teens: Opening the Exhibition

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.
Teens Curate Teens: Opening the ExhibitionArts, Literacy
1 Hour 30 MinutesGrades 9 - 12

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Copyright © 2026, Mizzen Education, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to empower, uplift and support out-of-school time educators.

Copyright © 2026, Mizzen Education, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to empower, uplift and support out-of-school time educators.