Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center

The Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center will relaunch its Teen Arts Council to address the critical need for arts education for school-aged youth and the emotional and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and teens. The Teen Arts Council empowers and engages young adults to create and plan programs "by teens for teens." It will use peer diversity, supportive staff members, authentic work, sustained engagement, and interactions with artists to increase personal development, artistic and cultural literacy, arts and community participation, and emotional wellbeing. The museum also will host 50 free school group visits during the project period. All participants will gain an introductory knowledge of contemporary art and art practices. Tours will be student-centered and use visual thinking strategies and gallery activities to strengthen creativity, evidence-based logic, and problem-solving skills.