Teen Artist-in-Residence Program
The Teen Artist-in-Residence Program invites up to six teens to create work on site at the museum. This is an opportunity for local teens who are interested in the arts to create, ideate, and receive valuable demonstrations and critiques by local artists.
About the Program
To celebrate the conclusion of the residency, each cohort of artists will create and showcase a public-facing community component that could look the following ways: workshop, exhibition, talk, event, etc. that is open to their peers and the general public. This is up the direction of the teen artists and their facilitators/staff support network.
Each teen will get access to a portion of a shared studio space with a table, chair, and wall-hanging space. The museum will provide a stipend for material costs. Through the course of 3 – 4 weeks, teens will dive into the creative process, allowing them the freedom and time to explore: whether that be for college portfolios, community projects, or just to try something new. Teens studios will be available from Tuesday – Friday, NOON – 5PM, with weekly demonstrations, critiques, and conversations from local Denver arts and culture creatives, that span mediums and techniques. Please know that studios will be open to the public.
Application Details
Please note: The 2025 Teen Artist-in-Residence applications are closed.
The Teen Artists-in-Residence Program will take place during June and July when school is out of session. Preference will be given to incoming seniors in the Denver Metro Area.
There are two cohorts with three artists each
Cohort #1: Tuesday, June 10 – Wednesday, July 2
Cohort #2: Tuesday, July 8 – Wednesday, July 30
Application Process
- General Information Provided
- Portfolio Upload
- Tools/Material Needs
- Short Paragraph Project Proposal
- Letter of Recommendation (Examples — Teacher, Work Supervisor, Family Friend, not family member)
Questions? Contact us at teens@mcadenver.org
June 2025 Cohort
Hasset Binyam
Hasset Binyam is a 17-year-old Ethiopian high school senior living in Denver. She loves baking, exploring emotions through art, and listening to music. In her free time, she enjoys making meaningful pieces and connecting with others through my acrylic paintings. She is excited to be part of the MCA Program and grow as an artist.
Finn Feldman
Finn Feldman was born in Boulder and moved to Lafayette at 10. His dad gave him his first camera at 7‑years-old, and since then he has fallen in love with the art form. His favorite style is street photography, but he also loves experimental photography and sports. He will be attending Wesleyan University in Fall 2025, studying journalism with a concentration in photojournalism and a minor in political science. He joined MCA in 2023 as a member of Failure Lab and came back to join Offhand. He also takes photos at events MCA hosts and frequents the museum for inspiration (because it’s the best art museum in Colorado)!
Lucy Lavonas
Lucy Lavonas (she/her) is a rising highschool senior in Denver, Colorado. She started sewing at 13, learning first from her mom and then through classes at Factory Fashion. In spring of 2022, she worked with Brooks LTD and currently works with Julianna’s wardrobe, helping to clean and restore vintage projects. Lucy also loves to apply her sewing and design skills to costume design, working with the thespian troupe at her school and winning the Critics’ Choice Award for Costume Design at the Colorado State Thespian Conference 2024. She is a State Thespian Officer for the 2025 – 2026 school year, and hopes to pursue fashion or costume design in college after she graduates. Lucy is very excited to have the opportunity to be a teen artist-in-residence at the MCA this summer, and will draw her inspiration from her family and her own identity.