Teen Bridge Explores College Pathways, City Planning, and Future Fossils During February Vacation Week

Photo by Jennifer Chan. Teen Bridge students discuss a sculpture with a docent while touring the Future Fossils exhibit at the MassArt Art Museum.

While you may have been skiing or enjoying the sun somewhere during February vacation week, our Teen Bridge students embarked on an immersive journey through Boston’s cultural and civic spaces, visiting MassArt, City Hall, and the Institute of Contemporary Art.

At MassArt, the teens explored the Future Fossils exhibit at the MassArt Art Museum, reflecting on imaginary artifacts that future civilizations might uncover from our present era. They also toured the MassArt campus, getting a firsthand look at the glassblowing, ceramics, animation, and fashion design studios. Talking to their current student tour guides gave the teens a chance to see how the MassArt student body, programs, and campus might fit into their lives in the future. 

Teen Bridge then visited City Hall as the culmination of a comics project that asked them to tell the story of a specific place in Boston or imagine a better Boston by designing a place in Boston that they would like to exist. This project challenged the students to see art as a tool for civic engagement, and included a previous visit from a city planning professional as well as learning cartooning skills from a visiting artist. At City Hall, students presented their resulting comics to an audience of city staff. Standing before a wooden room-sized model of downtown Boston and past sketches from community live drawing sessions, they shared their visions—ranging from a reimagined Nubian Station to personal reflections on growing up on a single street corner in Jamaica Plain. This project emphasized the community impact art can have, showcased intersections between arts and government work, and illuminated a new potential artistic career in city planning. 

At the Institute of Contemporary Art, students explored the power of art to evoke discomfort and challenge perspectives. The portrait section, highlighting themes of motherhood, LGBTQ+ identity, and music, sparked creative and thoughtful discussions on how art shapes cultural conversations.  

From examining potential educational and career paths to civic engagement to contemporary art’s impact, Teen Bridge students experienced an inspiring dive into creativity, critical thinking, and artistic possibility.  

Your support makes our Teen Bridge program and these opportunities possible. Thank you! 

Photos above by Maya Das O'Toole. Teen Bridge students work on clay and woodworking projects.

 

 

The Eliot School Artist in Residence and Teen Bridge Programs received generous support from The Adelard A. and Valeda Lea Roy Foundation; BPS Arts Expansion Fund at EdVestors; City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Human Services Youth Development Fund; City of Boston Office of Youth Employment & Opportunity SuccessLink Employment Program; Deborah Munroe Noonan Memorial Fund, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee; Linde Family Foundation; Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association; and Mass Cultural Council’s YouthReach program, with general support from the Barr Klarman Massachusetts Arts Initiative; Mass Cultural Council’s Cultural Investment Portfolio, and individual donors.

Funded in part by Boston Public Schools (BPS) Arts Expansion, a multi-year effort focusing on access, equity, and quality arts learning for BPS students. The BPS Arts Expansion Fund, managed by EdVestors, is supported by the Barr Foundation, Katie and Paul Buttenwieser, The Klarman Family Foundation, Linde Family Foundation, and other foundations and individuals. BPS Arts Expansion is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.