The Youth Art Apprentice Program (YAP) is an arts and cultural careers program for high school students ages 14 and up. The program gives teens from local high schools a first hand look at the working life of cultural institutions such as the Speed and other arts organizations through dialogue and discussion with professional arts staff. This exposure offers valuable mentoring experience and builds confidence and job skills for future careers and arts support. The YAP program is comprised of 12-14 teens who are selected based on applications and interviews each year.

The program features a YAP designed community outreach project developed input from local artists and museum educators. Students receive peer to peer training at the Speed and they are also employed by the Museum as program assistants and as community outreach presenters in the summer. The project brings teens into contact with arts and cultural career professionals in their community and to build networks of support that nourish their minds and self efficacy, showing teens the transformative power and possibilities of art and culture.

For additional information about YAP program contact Greg Penner at education@
speedmuseum.org

Read Yes Yap!, by John Vance From The Speed Member Magazine, Spring 2010.