Registration Now Open for ALC
We are absolutely BURSTING with excitement about our newest youth program: The Arts for Change and Transformation (ACT) Leadership Cohort! CSC is delighted to provide an extended version of our two-week ACT Institute. After each round, our facilitators and teens give the same feedback: We wish we had more time! More time to create, more time to connect with each other, and more time to explore how we can create change.
The ACT Leadership Cohort (ALC) does just that! This new program creates a pathway for teens to grow into their leadership, build diverse and healthy relationships, deepen their practices for restorative justice, and find outlets for creative self-expression.
Does your teen have questions about ALC? We have answers!
What is it?
ALC is a six month addition to the Community ACT program you know and love, and a remix of our Community Leadership Cohort. We’ll kick it off with our usual two-week intensive exploring arts, social justice, and mental health, followed by weekly creative workshops and meetings where we’ll work with professional artists in the community, explore movement and wellness practices, and create a culminating art project that activates our community.
When is it?
The two-week intensive takes place Monday through Friday, from May 6th to May 17th at 5:00pm to 7:00pm. After that, we’ll meet every Tuesday from May 21st to October 29th at 5:00pm to 7:00pm
How old do I have to be?
Just like our Community ACT program, you must be between the ages of 13 to 18 to register.
Is it virtual or in-person?
We are so excited to hold ALC in-person! We can make a virtual option available for select workshops, but we want most of our time together to be spent in-person. One of the goals for the group’s time together will be building relationships and creating a community, so we think it’s important to be together in a room as often as we can!
But, we wouldn’t ask this of folks if we couldn’t help them make it to our meetings. Luckily RTD is free for people under the age of 19 until August 31st this year. After that date, we can give passes to anyone who needs help getting to and from workshops.
So where is it?
We’ll meet at our 2900 N. Downing St location (right across from the 30th & Downing light rail station!), as well as a few different locations around the Denver area. (We’ll give you plenty of heads up about those different spots, don’t worry!)
What kinds of things will we do?
We’ll take the first two weeks of the program to explore the different ways we can create change using our CSC 3 Model (Social Justice, the Arts, and Restorative Practices). We’ll make some art, get settled into the space, and get to know each other!
After that, we’ll meet each week and dive deeper into what it really means to use art to transform our community, while also finding tools to take care of ourselves while we do it (it’s hard work fighting for justice!).
Each Tuesday will look a bit different. One day, we might use theater to practice leading a restorative circle. Another day, we might spend some time working with an artivist in Denver to understand how they use their talent to create change. Each workshop will lead up to our own collaborative art project, where we’ll work together to create a piece to change and confront injustice! This could be a play we write together, an art installation, a zine…. the possibilities are endless!
Is it paid? Do I still get a free art kit?
Yes and yes! Participants will be paid a stipend of $1,350 for the entire program, and as always, we’ll provide you with an art kit personalized to your creative interests!
If I’ve done ACT before, can I be in ALC too?
We give teens who haven’t done ACT before first dibs, as well as folks who identify as BIPOC. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t register if you’ve done ACT before! You still might be included in our 2024 cohort, depending on how many new people sign up.
What happens after I register?
You will get an email from us saying we got your registration. Then, someone at CSC will reach out for a 30-minute check in so you and your guardian can ask us any questions about ALC.
Creative Strategies for Change 