YOUTH ARTS

EXPLORE. CREATE. GROW.

Unleash your creativity and explore your full potential with our Youth Arts programs. We provide a dynamic, supportive space where young artists can develop their talents, connect with their passions, and expand their intellectual curiosity.

At the heart of our program is the belief that art is a powerful tool for advocacy and change. We empower young creatives to use their voices to advocate for themselves, impact their communities and shape a better society. Through hands-on learning, creative risk-taking, and interdisciplinary exploration, our students grow as artists, scholars, and engaged citizens.

We foster a culture of self-expression, responsibility, and ambition—encouraging each student to take ownership of their artistic journey. Whether preparing for a career in the creative field, college, or beyond, our youth arts program equips emerging artists with the skills, confidence, and vision to thrive.

Join us and start shaping your future today


WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER!

We believe in the transformative power of the arts. The arts empower young people to find their voices, develop creative problem-solving skills, and engage meaningfully with their communities, paving the way for future success in college and careers.

ABC offers the following youth programs:

  • CoLAB Sessions

  • ARTLAB Sessions

  • Saturday Morning Art Program Sessions (SMAP)

SATURDAY MORNING ART PROGRAM

A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN ARTS BUILD COMMUNITY AND NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE

Saturday Morning Art Program Session
Saturdays, from 9:00–11:20 a.m.
Location: Manchester, NH

The Saturday Morning Art Program (SMAP) is a FREE enrichment program in the visual arts for talented high school students ages 15–18. SMAP is a partnership between Arts Build Community and New England College.

For each SMAP session, 15 gifted students from the Manchester area will meet for three Saturday mornings for two and a half hours of instruction by New England College Institute of Art + Design and Arts Build Community faculty. The SMAP program was founded by Community Education Director and Associate Professor of Art, James Chase.

Students who complete 12 SMAP weeks in a year will be eligible for four college credits and a scholarship up to $2,000 at New England College.

  • SMAP024G - Youth program: March 22, 2025 - Drawing

  • SMAP024H - Youth program: March 29, 2025 - Print your own custom t-shirt

  • SMAP024I - Youth program:  April 5, 2025 - Printmaking

  • SMAP024J - Youth program:  April 12, 2025 - Sculpture: light and found object art

  • SMAP024K - Youth program:  April 19, 2025 - Painting or printmaking

  • SMAP024L - Youth program:  April 26, 2025 - Open studio

Students who would like more information about SMAP should email, James Chase artatfrench@nec.edu / artsbuildcommunity@gmail.com

CoLAB Program

OUR YOUTH STUDENTS ARE ARTIST SCHOLARS AND CITIZENS
CoLAB
is a safe space for ages 15-18 where creativity, ideas, experimentation, and materials to collide! Each month we'll explore new ideas and create an original collaborative art piece. Emphasis will be placed on the creative process, communication, collaboration and (of course) fun! Supplies included.

CoLAB meets Monthly.
Collaborative art projects that include
- Drawing
- Painting
- Printmaking
- Sculpture
- Screenprint

To learn more, contact Founder, James Chase at jameschaseartist @ gmail.com for more information.

ARTLAB SESSIONS:
A Laboratory for Creative Exploration

Arts Build Community is excited to bring back the wildly popular Youth ARTLAB Sessions – fun, engaging, and dynamic workshops designed for teens (15 – 18) to explore and challenge their creative potential. With a diverse range of topics and themes, these workshops allow young creatives to evolve their skills, try innovative techniques, and create a community of like-minded teens.

These sessions are the perfect opportunity for creatives of all levels to have a summer filled with fun, engaging programming designed to push their artistic boundaries, meet other teens, gain experience in different mediums and be challenged through creative experimentation. Each ARTLAB Summer Intensive ends with a reception for young artists to showcase their work to family, friends and the public.

Dare to step out of your creative comfort zone! ARTLAB is here to challenge your artistic practice. Come explore your creative side with other local teens, experiment with a wide range of art materials, and experience creating independent and collaborative 2D and 3D projects under the mentorship of ABC Artist faculty. Join us and let’s create!

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES OFFERED:
Gain exposure in painting, printmaking, photography, Teen Writers' Workshop, murals & public art etc...

ARTLAB SESSIONS

  • ARTLAB: Painting and Photography Mash-up

    Areas of focus: watercolor, acrylic, collage, digital photography, Adobe Photoshop Workshops and digital painting

    Advance your painting and photography skills by learning exciting ways to merge the two mediums together. Painting studios will offer both indoor and outdoor explorations in landscape and portraiture, focusing on brush technique, layering and color relationships. Photography studios will include lessons in camera functions, composition, working with light, and approaches to subject matter. All students will come together in the afternoon to experiment digitally and traditionally, emphasizing the blending of the two practices together for a completely unique mash-up. Supplies are provided.

  • ARTLAB: Art & Civic Engagement

    Areas of focus: drawing, painting, screen printing, printmaking, and sculpture

    Learn how your art can be a catalyst for change. Students will work with several artist-educators who will share examples of how they used their art to speak up about social causes and guide students on how they can do the same. Students will not only deepen their practice as an artist but also strengthen their communication skills to make informed, purposeful statements through their art. This ARTLAB will culminate in a collaborative, large scale, interactive installation that will focus on a cause of importance to the students.

  • ARTLAB: Teen Writers’

    Students interested in the art of writing will explore daily themes with presentations and exercises led by professional writers both visiting and from ABC Artists. Specific genres will be addressed including Fiction, Storytelling, Graphic Novels, Slam Poetry, and Hybridity. Each day will also include personal writing, readings, and both group discussions along with one-on-one discussions with Artists. The Session concludes with a reception for friends and family while the students offer readings of their work.

  • ARTLAB: Developing a Visual Arts Portfolio

    Designed for experienced high school artists, this session will explore the process of developing of a refined portfolio. Quality, breadth and concentration topics will be examined through digital presentations, discussions and studio work that will assist students as they begin to understand the competitive requirements for college admissions and AP testing. Students will leave with a greater understanding of what is necessary to create a successful portfolio and potential finished portfolio pieces. Emphasis will be placed on creative problem solving and how to select a topic that can support a sustained investigation. Group critiques and activities will be conducted with an emphasis on process and the development of a theme or idea that can generate continued investigation. The Session concludes with a reception for friends and family which will showcase the students’ work.