Shifting social power is at the core of A&C’s programming and has been since the inception of The Mural Project. The art therapists-in-training and youth participants are positioned to assume leadership in a nurturing and equitable environment. When co-creating A&C, Victoria reflected on her earliest days engaging with Artistic Noise during The Mural Project as an SVA graduate student in 2018, then as a 2nd-year intern who turned into their first full-time art therapist. Her initial interaction was working closely with Savio on his blue mural, then as a youth participant, and now as her colleague. Renée Duran, the current art therapy intern, also began her relationship with Artistic Noise as a support team member during her first year at SVA.

Samantha encapsulated the transformative journey of these collaborations, transitioning from a youth participant from 2017-2020 to a teaching artist. Her testimonial speaks volumes about the program's profound impact, demonstrating how art can catalyze personal and collective empowerment: "Art & Care is more than just a program; it's a community that guides you in centering yourself alongside a team of support.”

One key aspect of A&C’s success comes from pairing community-building and therapeutic art experiences with economic compensation, mutual aid, and resource-sharing as part of each youth’s participation. There are few spaces in the city for young people to exist within a nurturing and caring environment, without having to purchase, spend, or produce. Youth report that monetary incentives for attendance quickly became secondary to their creative endeavors within the caring interpersonal and studio space. The strength of this programming lies in the support team refraining from projecting their expectations onto the youth. Within an intentionally scaffolded framework, A&C opens opportunities for young artists to determine how the space functions to serve them best, encouraging their leadership and centering their lived experiences.

During our first cycle, every brushstroke, every shared story, and every moment of connection was cherished within the SVA 5th-floor studio. From mural creation to individual art therapy sessions, to youth-led workshops, and through difficult group discussions, every aspect of the program was designed with young people’s needs in mind, and adaptations were co-created replies to their verbal and non-verbal responses. Whether the participants were involved in the juvenile court system, living in the shelter system or foster care, dealing with mental health challenges, or simply navigating the often difficult realities of life in New York City, this studio became a safe place where we could all let down our guard, connect with one another and make art together, one day out of the week.

We look forward to all that year two of Art & Care has to offer! Stay tuned.

Elevating Youth Voices in a Community Art Therapy Studio