Mission

The New York Public Library has been an essential provider of free books, information, ideas, and education for all New Yorkers for more than 100 years.

Activities

The Schomburg Teen Curators Program is a unique after school art history and curatorial program that enrolls up to 30 high school students each year. The year-long tuition-free program uses art education to increase the historical and cultural literacy of teenagers and promotes their intellectual and professional development through curatorial projects and aesthetic engagements with the Schomburg and other cultural institutions.

Each year the program culminates with a student-curated exhibition featuring their artwork alongside archival materials researched during the year within the Schomburg Center's five divisions. Through these processes students are exposed to behind-the-scenes work of museums and libraries (eg. collecting, preserving, archiving, and interpreting) and the pathways to professional careers in field.

SCHEDULE
Teen Curators meet for a minimum of 6 hours each week — two afternoons each week and occasional Saturdays. At the conclusion of the program year in June, Teen Curators host their on exhibition opening unveiling their work and engaging the public in discussions about their personal development progress and professional aspirations.

Discovery Days: Tuesdays, 3:30–6:00PM
Discovery Days are designed for whole-group instruction and activities. Discovery days will primarily take place at the Schomburg Center, but field trips to museums and galleries may also be organized on Tuesdays or Thursdays.

Curator’s Studio: Thursdays, 3:30–6PM
Curator’s Studio time is envisioned as a required supervised study period for Teen Curators, who will make a commitment to attend Thursday Studios each week to advance their study, planning, and group work. Alternatively, Thursday sessions are also used as additional Discovery Days for group instruction.

Saturdays: 10–1:30PM or 1–4:30PM
Teen Curators will occasionally take field trips to local museums and galleries to advance their art studies.

SUMMER INTERNSHIPS
To advance their studies and fulfill the need for summer employment, Teen Curators can apply for four-week paid-internship positions at the Schomburg Center. Summer interns will utilize their growing expertise in positions that advance their professional development. To obtain one (of the ten) summer internship positions, candidates must have successfully completed the semester-long program, and they must commit to finishing the full summer term; in addition, they will be asked to write essays outlining their program and professional goals, and they will be invited to interview for their internship positions.

Eligibility