Studio Arts MENTORS
Gain paid experience teaching and mentoring high school students in the visual arts.
Background | Details | Eligibility | Gallery
Background
Undergraduate Studio Art majors assist an experienced artist instructor to implement our Teen Apprenticeship Program (TAP). Since 2009, Studio Arts Mentors have supported TAP teens from New York City DOE high schools as they learn how to teach visual art to children.
The Studio Arts Mentors program, a paid opportunity for undergraduate Studio Art majors, provides an excellent opportunity for college students to gain experience teaching and mentoring high school students ages16–18. They help to administer the teen program, submitting daily updates and documentation, as required.
Details
The Teen Apprenticeship Program consists of two parts. During the spring, teens train as an apprentice with a Studio Institute artist instructor during weekly meetings held on Saturdays, where they learn the fundamentals of art making, as well as how to plan and lead classes for young learners. TAP Studio Arts Mentors shadow artists to learn effective art instruction and lesson-plan writing—and how to facilitate and engage high school students in discussions about arts learning.
During the summer, Arts Mentors work with artist instructors to guide teens as they produce, document, and deliver art instruction to young children at New York City summer camps. Mentors support the teens by guiding them in lesson planning, giving feedback, and observing and co-teaching onsite art classes.
The TAP Studio Arts Mentors program includes intensive studio art instruction, possible field trips to local art schools and/or museums, and practice teaching sessions.
Mentors earn $22.50 per hour working up to 25 hours a week.
TAP Summer Internship: July 7 – August 15
In July, mentors begin their oversight responsibilities of the high school students at camps located in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan. (Start dates vary by camp.).
Eligibility
You must be a current sophomore or junior (rising junior or senior in the summer) in a college or university within the five boroughs of New York City, or a permanent resident of the City. Undergraduate applicants must be enrolled full time during the 2024–25 and 2025–26 academic years.
Financial Requirement
You must also demonstrate financial need by submitting a copy of your FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) and provide the EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) document. (Note: The name for the EFC was changed to the “Student Aid Index” (SAI) in the 2024–25 FAFSA.)
Please check back next spring for information about the summer 2025 Studio Arts Mentors program.
Have questions?
Reach out to TAP@studioinst.org
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