The Schomburg Teen Curators Program is a unique after school art history and curatorial program that enrolls up to 30 high school students each year. The year-long tuition-free program uses art education to increase the historical and cultural literacy of teenagers and promotes their intellectual and professional development through curatorial projects and aesthetic engagements with the Schomburg and other cultural institutions.

Each year the program culminates with a student-curated exhibition featuring their artwork alongside archival materials researched during the year within the Schomburg Center's five divisions. Through these processes students are exposed to behind-the-scenes work of museums and libraries (eg. collecting, preserving, archiving, and interpreting) and the pathways to professional careers in field.  

APPLICATION
CLICK HERE  for the 2019-2020 Teen Curators Online Application
DEADLINE: Friday, September 27, 2019

PROGRAM DESIGN
From October 2019 through June 2020, the Schomburg Teen Curators will be immersed in aesthetic and academic experiences with the Schomburg’s collections through intensive art object study, art historical research and writing, archival presentations, living artist interviews, community programs, docent tour-giving, and hands-on curatorial and exhibition work. The Schomburg’s program allows teens to integrate their scholarly research into artistic endeavors by incorporating manuscripts, sheet music, letters, and other paper and audiovisual media into teens’ artistic and curatorial projects and by encouraging Teen Curators to produce and present multimedia exhibitions at the Schomburg Center, in the community, and in their schools. 

SCHEDULE
Teen Curators meet for a minimum of 5 hours each week — two afternoons each week and occasional Saturdays. At the conclusion of the program year in June, Teen Curators host their own exhibition opening unveiling their work and engaging the public in discussions about their personal development progress and professional aspirations.

Discovery Days: Tuesdays, 3:30–6:00PM
Discovery Days are designed for whole-group instruction and activities. Discovery days will primarily take place at the Schomburg Center, but field trips to museums and galleries may also be organized on Tuesdays or Thursdays.

Curator’s Studio: Thursdays, 3:30–6PM
Curator’s Studio time is envisioned as a required supervised study period for Teen Curators, who will make a commitment to attend Thursday Studios each week to advance their study, planning, and group work. Alternatively, Thursday sessions are also used as additional Discovery Days for group instruction.

Saturdays: 10–1:30PM or 1–4:30PM
Teen Curators will occasionally take field trips to local museums and galleries to advance their art studies.