ArtWorks

What is ArtWorks?

Program Details:

Open to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
Application and interview required
No prior experience needed; just an interest in the arts and eagerness to learn
Participants are responsible for their own transportation
Receive a stipend for participation
Offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer sessions
Culminating event at the end of each session, ArtWorks Live!

ArtWorks is an Arts Education and Workforce Development program for 10th to 12th graders, where students work as paid apprentices mentored by Master Teaching Artists. Alongside developing their artistic skills, apprentices build essential workforce and life skills to prepare for success beyond high school.

Each session offers a variety of art forms, allowing students to explore new disciplines or deepen existing talents. Past sessions have included Visual Arts, Film Production, Dance, Podcasting, Photography, Spoken Word Poetry, Fashion Design, Mixed Media, Songwriting and Recording Arts, among others.

APPRENTICESHIP OPTIONS:

Afterschool: Semester-long, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 4:30–7:30 pm (some evenings & Saturdays)
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Summer: 4-6 weeks, Monday–Friday, 9:30 am–3:30 pm
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ArtWorks Youth Leadership Council

The ArtWorks Youth Leadership Council is a leadership-focused extension of the ArtWorks program, offering returning apprentices opportunities to deepen their involvement and take on expanded responsibilities. Council members serve as co-op leads, assist with professional development activities, contribute to community service projects, and represent the program as ambassadors.

Youth selected for the Council are guaranteed placement in all three ArtWorks sessions during the year—fall, spring, and summer—and receive additional stipend funds for their participation.

Eligible students must have completed at least one previous session of ArtWorks and will be asked to complete an interview as part of the selection process.

SPOTLIGHT: ARTWORKS X GIGI’S PLAYHOUSE CLEVELAND

In Summer 2025, 20 youth apprentices partnered with GiGi’s Playhouse Cleveland to create:

Two murals, one including an interactive sensory wall
A podcast featuring interviews with GiGi’s staff, families, and founder
A nature-inspired soundscape
A short documentary film

Apprentices engaged in a professional creative process—conducting interviews, brainstorming, pitching ideas, and refining their work—collaborating across visual and audio teams to ensure the project reflected GiGi’s mission.

This collaboration gave youth valuable skills in art, storytelling, teamwork, and advocacy, connecting their voices to disability inclusion and community impact.

Watch the documentary film created by our apprentices and their Teaching Artist, Radio On The Lake Theatre, below.

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