Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego

What does the landscape of adolescence look and feel like? How do our neighborhoods, communities, relationships, and routines shape who we become? What invisible maps do we carry with us, and how can art make those experiences visible?  

MCASD invites 11th and 12th grade students from San Diego to join our teen program, Teen Art Collective (TAC), which is a yearlong program that brings together a diverse group of high school students from across San Diego County to explore contemporary art and conservation through critical dialogue, hands-on artmaking, and collaborative learning.

Completed applications are due  Friday, August 28.

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Current cycle: September 8, 2026 through June 2027.
 

For the 2026–2027 cycle, TAC will center on the theme of topography (the relationships, physical and natural features of a region), inviting participants to consider the many landscapes that shape our lives. Drawing conceptual influence from Andres Payan Estrada’s Visiones Nocturnas, through the ideas of memory, movement, place, and perception, the Teen Art Collective will investigate topography not only as the physical contours of land, but also as a framework for understanding the emotional, social, cultural, and personal terrains we navigate everyday. 

Through workshops, discussion, and visits with artists, conservators, and museum professionals, as well as studio sessions and group critiques, TAC members will develop a body of work that reflects their personal and collective investigations into preservation. The program will culminate in a teen-organized exhibition and public event at MCASD, where our Teens will present their work to the community.

TAC is an ideal extra-curricular for high school students interested in deepening their artistic practice, engaging with current issues in contemporary art, and building lasting connections with peers and professionals in the field.

TAC meets every second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 5 – 7PM (with some exceptions).

To find out more about TAC, contact the Education Department at education@mcasd.org

CLICK HERE FOR THE APPLICATION

Application deadline: Friday, August 28.

Space is limited to 25 students. Only one application per student is permitted.

After all applications are reviewed, invited students will receive an acceptance email and onboarding documents. Meetings will begin on September 8, 2026, and end June 2027. 

This activity is supported in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov.