Still Here: A Mural Journey is a digital zine comprising of photographic and digital art work created by the by teens in the Photography Collective program at the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston during the 2024–2025 school year. In collaboration with the Boston Research Center, these young people explored public art throughout Boston.

Photography Collective is a group of 12 high-school aged teens from the Boston area who uplift their communities and develop themselves personally, professionally, and creatively through photography. Members enter the program at varying photography levels and learn to collaborate and create independently and together. While honing their skills on industry-standard software and equipment, members learn to create unique projects while connecting with their larger communities.

Photography Collective’s partnership with the Boston Research Center’s Neighborhood Art Project focused on public art throughout Roxbury & the South End. Through this project, these young people explored what it means to be a documentarian of others’ art and a moment in time. As Photography Collective turned their attention to different public art works, often created to send a community-focused message or “beautify” a neighborhood, they were also asked what message about themselves would they want to leave behind.

In the ever-changing landscape of Boston, Photography Collective members captured public art in hopes of preserving the works and their stories in a digital archive created with and housed by the Neighborhood Art Project. This project empowered members of Photography Collective to develop their photographic skills while learning about the history of different works of public art in Boston, connecting with local artists, and deepening their understanding of the important role photography can play in preserving history. This zine, comprising of photography of public art pieces throughout Boston, prompts the viewer to look deeper and connect with public art in new ways.

Explore the zine.

All of the content is representative of the individual Photo Collective members and not a representation of the ICA.

Photography Collective is a school year program where teens develop their media production skills and explore specific themes and issues important to them and other teens. During the fall of 2023, Photography Collective partnered with Northeastern University through the Unsettled Accounts Project, exploring the impact of urban renewal and planning on Black homeownership in Boston.

Photography Collective explored the ideas of home and displacement, browsing archival materials that contextualized these concepts for people of color living in Boston. They also met with storytellers from the Unsettled Accounts Project and created portraits of them, using photography to capture their stories and preserve their histories. During their time in Photography Collective, members created a collective zine exploring history, hegemony, and hope within the city.

Explore their zine

All of the content is representative of the individual Photo Collective members and not a representation of the ICA.

Teen Digital Cooperative (TDC) is a summer program where teens develop their media production skills and explore specific themes and issues important to them and other teens. During the summer of 2023, TDC learned contemporary media production skills such as photography, video production, and design using photoshop to connect with the work of 3 Boston-based artists that were awarded the 2023 James and Audrey Foster Prize.

TDC explored the ideas of “Home” and “Transformation” after learning about the collective work of Cicely Carew, Venetia Dale, and Yu-Wen Wu. This zine includes responses to the artists’ work from TDC members, as well as original poetry, photography, design, and videos. During their time in TDC, they compiled this work and collaborated with one another to create a digital zine.

Explore their zine

All of the content is representative of the individual TDC members and not a representation of the ICA.


On January 27 through 29, 2023, the ICA held a virtual convening for alumni for teen arts education programs across the country and beyond. More than 50 alums came together online for 3 days to connect with past friends, build communities and networks, make art, & more. A planning committee made of alums from the ICA’s teen programs created this event and contributed to this publication, as did Alumni Relations Assistants Layor and Max. 

Alumni Convening Publication.pdf

Welcome future partner organizations! Teen Exhibitions Program has put together this page to facilitate the process of selecting organizations to partner with for us for future exhibitions! 

We are doing a call to Boston-based organizations that work with teens. Teen Exhibitions Program (TEP) runs a Teen Gallery! We want to work with a partner to exhibit teen artwork. The exhibition opening is January 27, 2023. The Exhibition will be open January 31, 2023- May 5, 2023. 

WHAT IS TEP?

We are a group of teens of various backgrounds from all over the greater Boston area. We come together every Friday to learn about planning, curating, organizing and installing art, here at the ICA Seaport Studio in the Teen Gallery. TEP focuses on highlighting the artistic voices of Boston teens in a gallery setting that is made for teens and created by teens.

This space is 100% run by Teen Exhibitions Program. We work with creative teens to give their art a platform. If you are chosen as a partner organization we will be exhibiting your students’ artworks in the Teen Gallery! Below are images of the space. 

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

Creative constraints for who can apply. 

  • Boston-based organizations that are currently work with teens 
  • All artists exhibiting must be teens creating, 2D, 3D, or digital works 
WHAT DOES COLLABORATING WITH US LOOK LIKE?
  • ICA Teen Programs will cover all costs for exhibition including:
    • Printing 
    • Framing 
    • Installation
    • Exhibition opening
  • TEP will organize the opening 
  • Bi-monthly check ins between educators from your organization and ours 
  • All artworks must be completed and handed off by December 15th to be installed 
  • 3 exchanges between teens and educators from both groups
    • Exchange 1: Meet & greet  (Mid-October) 
    • Exchange 2: Artist interviews & context for artwork (Early-December)
    • Exchange 3: Preparing for the opening (Early-January) 
NEXT STEP: PROPOSAL SUBMISSION PROCESS 

If your organization has a proposal for us we are excited to receive one from you that will provide us with details about your organization, students, and ideas for a future exhibition. Applications are DUE: OCTOBER 1, 2023

APPLY HERE: https://forms.gle/vvXRzLJk9rEAvxH3A

  • Proposals are DUE OCTOBER 1, 2023
  • TEP will select top 2 proposals and select a finalist once they meet with each of those groups 
  • All applicants will hear back from us by November 1, 2023

Questions: nrodriguez@icaboston.org

Check out our last opening HERE

Text by TEP Alumni Fei-Fei A. 

A Zine by Teen Arts Council

Get creative with us! Find a comfy space to make art through prompts that invite rest and calm.

Use_This_When___Zine.pdf

What is a Zine? 

A zine is a mini-magazine. This one is full of activities that invite rest and art we hope inspires you.

How do you use this Zine?

We welcome you to explore your creative side, and flip through the pages, like a magazine. We created this zine so that you can find calm and relaxation while using it. We invite you to channel your creative energy as you go through this zine and make art with us.

Who are we?

We are the Teen Arts Council at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston. We plan events that bring together teens in Boston and beyond.

Why should I use this Zine?

These pages were curated and hand made by the Teen Arts Council to provide you space for calm and creative energy. We’ve included art, games, a playlist, a booklist, and ideas for restful activities. Find a space that makes you feel relaxed, grab some art supplies and enjoy!

Listen to This When___  you are making in the zine. Playlist created by TAC Member Rosaylin B. 

We searched the galleries and found our favorite works on view. Check them out below! 

https://youtube.com/shorts/BfcMNfTN-Sk?feature=share

We are members of the ICA’s Teen Arts Council, a group of 15 teens from the Boston area that serve other teens. We focus on addressing social issues and connecting teens and the ICA and with art in general. We feel that art is a form of expression as well as a tool for activism.

We created this art kit for you. We want to inspire you to create your world, to experience acts of creativity, to make each day an opportunity for expression, to do something for yourself.

This is for you. Complete one page. Do them all. Use only the blank space at the end. Tear out a page to make something else. Experiment. Use it however you want

It’s for you, but if you feel like sharing, tag us @icateens or use #icateens.

– Jenisha, Mintou, Roselle, & Scania

ICATeen_ArtKit.pdf

 If you could use a meditation to help you enter this new year and have four minutes, try out this Memory Meditation. I originally recorded it for a gathering of ICA Educators and Teaching Artists and thought you all might enjoy it too.


Given the election and all the things going on in the world- I, Nohemi, have been spending time with myself these past few days. I wanted to share a mindfulness breathing and writing activity that Mithsuca B. (AWC Teaching Assistant) and I co-created. You can find it below. If you find yourself feeling unbalanced, unsettled, or in need of a moment with yourself I encourage you to try it out. 

Mindfulness and Writing Exercise.pdf

While the ICA is temporarily closed, stay creative and connected with us.

Make an object seem like it has human parts. Snap a photo. Find inspiration in the first photograph, by Laurie Simmons from her The Walking Series. Learn more about it and her. The second photo is an example by Betsy, Director of Teen Programs.

To share, email to teens@icaboston.org and/or tag is @icateens on Instagram.