Pelham, NY - This Fall, Pelham Art Center kicked off the second year of its youth leadership programming, which includes free open studios, a Teen Artist Council, and a five-month internship program, enabling young people throughout the region to engage in art in a meaningful way.

Four new interns from Pelham Memorial High School and New Rochelle High School (Blake Lee and Octavia Liku from NRHS, and Selena Nezaj and Sydney Paulose from PMHS) will gain hands-on work experience and learn valuable skills while contributing meaningful skills to the Art Center. Interns are able to focus their time on program implementation, special events, research, administration, and other functions of PAC’s operations.

“It was an amazing experience to learn about the inner workings of such a great organization,” said Selena Nezaj, a sophomore at Pelham Memorial High School. “Everyone here is so welcoming, and every Sunday is so exciting.”

Teen Open Studios meet at the Pelham Art Center every Friday evening from 3:30-5:30pm.

This inclusive, relaxed environment creates a space where students are invited to work on their AP or college admissions portfolios, or to relax and unwind at the end of the week while making art with their peers. The studios are open free of charge, and a variety of materials are available for participants to use. No pre-registration is required.

"The Pelham Art Center teen programs provide a vibrant and welcoming space for teens to immerse themselves in the arts and gain real world experiences working with the arts and with their community,” Kass Gray, Teen Engagement Coordinator at PAC said.

The Teen Artist Council provides students with real world experience in the arts, and a chance to communicate and learn through organizing public outreach. The Teen Artist Council will lead public events, select candidates to speak on a Careers in the Arts Panel series, and even curate a gallery exhibition, which will run from April 15th to May 12th this year. These students meet twice a month, and new members are accepted on a rolling basis (they can click here to apply).

Octavia Liku, who is an intern in her junior year at New Rochelle High School, said that she’s most excited about working on the Teen Artist Gallery Show in April. “I think it is a really cool opportunity, and I am glad to be involved,” she added.

“We strive to create a place where everyone can feel safe and supported to pursue their love of art,” Gray says. “All of our interns, teen artist council members, and open studio attendees are so incredibly bright, passionate, and creative, and I consider myself lucky to get to work with them every day.”

For additional information on Pelham Art Center’s Teen Programming, please email [email protected].