Studio Programs

Groundswell studio programs are free and open to youth from across New York City. All programing takes place at Groundswell Studio allowing access to creative space, quality art materials and a variety of college/creative career workshops and opportunities for all participants. Here is a full list of programs we are offering this fall.

The 2025-26 Programs run from October 27th through March 12th.

Advanced Portfolio: Making Art that Matters, Ages 16-24
Mondays, 4-6:30pm

The Advanced Portfolio program supports students in honing their artistic technique, while focusing and strengthening their unqiue creative voices. Throughout the sessions, youth will explore the intersections of identity politics, systems of oppression, and create impactful imagery with a clear vision and narrative. The Portfolio class underscores the power of personal expression to promote critical thinking and foster positive change.

Simultaneously, participants will prepare for art portfolio applications, honing skills in figure drawing, composition, and design. Throughout the program, students are expected to generate at least two portfolio-ready pieces that embody the chosen social justice concepts discussed among the program cohort. Each student will receive one-on-one mentorship from Groundswell Teaching Artists.

• Refine your existing portfolio for art school & professional opportunities
• Explore advanced art techniques and access premium art materials
• One-on-One support for portfolio development
• Art institution and college application support

Narrative Justice: Mixed Media Art, Ages 14-19
Tuesdays, 4-6pm

This program invites students of all skill levels to explore how art can be a powerful tool for storytelling. Using a variety of media-including collage, photography, graphic design, and animations-students will create original works that highlight pressing social issues and amplofy underrepresented voices. This is a project-based class where participants will examine historical and current examples of activist art to inform and inspire their creative process.

Throughout the program, students will experiment with different forms of storytelling to develop projects that raise awareness, inspires, and spark critical thinking. Students will learn not only artistic techniques, but also strategies for researching issues, shapping narratives, and presenting their work to the community. By the end of the course, each student will produces a unique piece that speakes to a social justice issue that they care about. 

• Exposure to diverse styles, including fundamentals of digital art
• Develop research and presentation skills
• Opportunity to develop personal project rooted in social justice

Voices Her'd: Community Project, Ages 14-19
Wednesday, 4-6:30pm

The Voices Her'd program explores how artistic expression can be used to encourage personal and societal transformation. This community mural project creates an intentional space for young women and gender-expansive youth to connect with a community partner whose work makes a meaningful impact for such communities.

Together, participants will work with our community partner to research, design and fabricate a mural that speaks to the pressing social justice issues that face the community. Throughout the semester, participants will work collaboratively to build a visual narrative that raises awareness and sheds light on important themes and concepts. Through research and design, program participants will fabricate a large-scale mural to be installed publicly.  

• Learn about the power of murals and art muralism
• Develop research skills and practices
• Support the design and fabrication of a historic Groundswell mural

Print Power: Art for Organizing, Ages 14-19
Thursdays, 4-6pm

In the Print Power program, youth learn about the fundamentals of printmaking through its relationship to social movements in the last century. Print Power introduces participants to community resources, and culturally relevant printmakers to inspire personal applications of the art form. Throughout the program, student voice is highlighted and uplifted to bring light to the pressing social justice issues of our time, such as economic inequality, migrant, gender and racial justice. 

Students of all skill levels build foundational skills in drawing, research, design, and composition while emphasizing the meaning behind each print. Print Power exposes participants to diverse styles of printmaking, beginning with the basics of relief printmaking and then transitioning into other forms of printmaking such as screen printing and zine making. Throughout the program, students will have the opportunity to design and fabricate their own screen prints and develop entrepreneurial skills associated with marketing and selling their products. 

• Introduction to printmaking and advanced print techniques
• Develop entrepreneurial skills
• Learn how to utilize public space as gallery space

All of these classes will offer participants:

• Career and leadership development
• Connection to professional teaching artists and expansice partner network with specialized learning opportunities
• Attend museum/gallery/non-profit visits and gain exposure to contemporary arts 

Applications for Groundswell's 2025-2026 in-studio After School Program Year are now open. Click here to access to application.

*We will be accepting applications on a rolling basis through our open enrollment period which ends on November 3rd. All programs will be held in person at Groundswell Studio 540 President Street, Suite 1A, Brooklyn, NY, 11215

For any additional inquiries, or if you are interested in getting involved with Groundswell programming after our open enrollment period please contact Phoebe@groundswell.nyc or Brandon@groundswell.nyc.

To stay connected, please join our mailing list here or contact groundswellremote@gmail.com