Dear friends,

I recently made the difficult decision to discontinue 7ARTS. I realized that quality was suffering as I juggled a full-time job and directing the program. I felt I needed to step back and reflect on the kind of impact I wanted to have in the long-term.

7ARTS has been one of my greatest experiences. It's been a blessing to work with the talented and passionate teenagers who have participated in the program over the years. The artists and writers that have voluntarily nurtured and mentored our students over the last four years have been an inspiration to me.

While it is with great sadness that I announce this decision I have other exciting news. I recently accepted the Executive Director position at New Urban Arts, a community arts studio for high school students in Providence RI. I will begin on February 4th and will relocate to Rhode Island sometime in late January.

I worked at New Urban Arts as an artist mentor to local teenagers while I was an undergraduate at the Rhode Island School of Design and their program model was my inspiration for launching 7ARTS in Queens. Their founder and former Executive Director, Tyler Denmead, inspired me to dream big and mentored me as I learned what it took to launch and manage a nonprofit organization. It's an honor to be asked to succeed him. While I'm incredibly sad to leave my friends and family New York, this is an incredible opportunity for me to advocate for the importance of creative opportunities in the lives of all young people, not just a privileged few.

Click here to learn more about New Urban Arts.

Here is an article announcing my hire in the Providence Journal, the local daily newspaper.

Thank you all for everything.

My best,

Jason Yoon

FIRST DAY NOTES
If you missed the first day our next session is not until April 14. If you are a brand new student we need a $10 deposit and a release form to be filled out by you and signed by a parent/guardian:
The form can be downloaded here.

Revised 7ARTS Calendar!
Please note the dates, especially the holidays.

March 31-First official session

April 7 Spring Recess-NO CLASS
April 14-regular session
April 21-regular session
April 28-regular session

May 5-regular session
May 12-regular session
May 19-regular session
May 26 No Class Memorial Day Weekend

June 2-regular session
June 9-regular session
June 16-regular session
June 23-optional work session
June 30/July 1st Exhibition of student work

SPRING 2007 Program
“[7ARTS] allows students to express themselves any way they wish. Its a friendly community where students are not just students but also teachers at the same time...it does not have professors but mentors (there is a difference).”

-Sazzad Hossain Student, Rochester Institute of Technology
A 7 Arts Alumni


Mike Lizama

Welcome to the 7ARTS website! Below, you will find information about the program and how to apply. On the right you can download some important forms, learn more about our staff and see a few samples of student work. Our priority registration deadline is March 20, 2007.

What is 7ARTS? 7ARTS is an arts studio offering small-group workshops for New York City teenagers.

Kali Ruiz

How does it work? You and a group capped at eight students are matched with an artist, based on mutual interests. At first, your relationship with your Advisor will be like an apprenticeship; you’ll learn about your Advisor’s craft by working alongside them. By the end of your time together, you and your fellow students will see your Advisor as a peer. Over ten weeks your group, led by your Advisor, will collaboratively come up with the content of the workshop, determine group and individual goals and prepare for a culminating arts presentation. You’ll also receive an art/writing journal and will be responsible for working in that book regularly and bringing it every session. Our Advisors will take you seriously as artists, which means you must take yourself seriously also.

What is an Arts Advisor? 7ARTS Advisors are emerging artists and writers (either in school or early in their careers) who are there to help your artistic development as well as share their skills and experiences with you. Each 7ARTS Advisor is an artist with particular interests and strengths.

Shamel Allison

What’s the idea behind this? It came out of the Director’s experience as a college student at a professional art school. He didn’t have many classes where he was told what to do. Instead, older, talented and experienced artists gave him guidance, helped him develop his ideas and challenged him to make art that mattered to him.


Who’s eligible? Any teenager aged 14-19 who is motivated and interested in visual arts and/or creative writing is eligible. What do you look for in prospective students? We’re looking for students who will make the most of this opportunity. We have a required questionnaire and we look at the responses for students who seem likely to:

1. treat the program like a professional responsibility (come regularly, promptly and prepared);

2. contribute to lively conversations and discussions;

3. be a fun person to be around.

Chris Hamilton

Where are you? We are housed in the lovely Queens Museum of Art in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The Museum is our sponsor and we have access to their exhibitions and classrooms during our workshops. The Museum is easily accessible by the 7 train and by car.

Why 7? Queens is the most ethnically diverse county in the United States and possibly the most diverse locality in the world. Naming the program after the 7 line reflects our belief that a diversity of viewpoints, beliefs and backgrounds is necessary for a rich learning experience in all areas but especially in the arts, which is so rooted in our personal experience.

Wait, do I have to live in Queens? No, if you’re willing to come out here and work then we’re willing to help you out.













Adrian Bermeo
Ok, sign me up! You can apply by:

I. Answering these questions
1. Why do you think art is important?
2. Do you think of yourself as a creative person? Why or why not?
3. What types of art or writing would you like to do?
4. What opportunities have you had to express your ideas and opinions (in art or other ways)?
5. Tell us in detail about a significant challenge that you are currently facing in your life. Are you working towards overcoming it? How or why not?
6. If there were one thing that you could change in your community, what would it be? Please describe the issue and how you would like it changed in detail.
7. What kind of art do you do in your spare time and how often?

II. Select a Visual Arts and/or a Writing Workshop:
Saturdays 1-3pm Writing Group
1. Journey into the Short Story: This will revolve around US as the writer

Saturdays 3-5pm Visual Arts Groups (Pick only one Visual Arts workshop)
1. Mural Painting: Students will develop painting and drawing skills. Students will work individually and/or collaboratively on large-scale mural painting techniques

2. Visual Character Development and Narrative: Telling the story behind the character in a dynamic manner.

III. Include this information:
Full name:
Birth date:
Address (include ZIP and apt):
Home phone:
Cell phone:
E-mail:
Gender:
Race/Ethnicity:
Place of birth:
School:
Languages spoken:
How did you hear about us?

…finally, send all this information to:

Mail: 22-55 38th St Astoria NY 11105 or

Email it to us!

You can also download application forms, post your application (as a comment) and get more information here.

Questions? Call 917.723.3311 or Email us

Dates

March 20 Applications due!!
March 22 Students notified
March 24 First day

Dates of Program
Saturdays, March 24 to June 12 (Final show June 13, holidays: April 7 and May 27)

Students say…
“I think it's a great thing for kids that want to get more into art, more into writing, to get their feelings out, their emotions out and express themselves if they want to."

“It helps me with my imagination so I can think of better stories that I can write down and put down on paper”