Santa Barbara Public Library Invites Teens to Make & Display Their Art with Create & Curate: Teen Art Workshop

Teen artists and creatives in grades 7-12  are invited to the Eastside Library to create their own unique pieces of art, which the Library will display in the Faulkner Side Galleries for September and October. This program is a chance for youth to share their talent and creativity with the community. Each session will introduce new mediums or techniques, but will be designed to be accessible to teens of all artistic abilities or experience.

On Friday August 25th, teens will create Squee-Gee Art, experimenting with color to create their own abstract paintings. On Friday September 8th, teens will express their creativity with layers of paint, image transfer, and patterns using gel printing techniques. The Library will provide all required materials, including those for framing and hanging in the gallery. 

“This is a great opportunity for teens who want to get creative, have fun, and put their talent on display,” said Teen Services Librarian Kendra Saffie. “It’s easy to feel like making art is something only those with lots of training or access to expensive materials can do, but these projects will teach teens that anyone can explore their creativity.” 

Projects made during these workshops will be on display in September and October in the  Central Library’s Faulkner East and West Galleries and featured in a 1st Thursday Reception from 5-8 p.m. on September 7th and October 5th. 

“The Library is excited to expand our sponsored gallery exhibitions to include teen art shows. We’ve updated our policies regarding the galleries to allow for these Library curated exhibitions that help make space for emerging artists or those from historically marginalized backgrounds. These programs support the Library’s mission of reducing barriers to access, as well as equity, diversity, and inclusion,” said Library Director Jessica Cadiente.   

This program welcomes students in grades 7-12 and runs from 4-6 p.m. on August 25th and September 8th in the MLK Jr. Room at the Eastside Library. Space is limited. Register in the Library’s event calendar.

The Santa Barbara Public Library is a department of the city of Santa Barbara and is dedicated to supporting education for all ages through classes and events, building a community of readers, empowering individuals with free access to information, and connecting people to community resources. All Library programs, services, and events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.sbplibrary.org.