The driving principle of our youth program is to connect young artists with practice artists in meaningful ways, creating opportunities for students to communicate and connect through art. We work not only with area k-12 schools, but colleges, universities, and trade schools as well.
Through hosting field trips, we work with approximate 250 mainly middle and high school students a year. Through our internships, fellowships and apprentice programs, we provide in-depth on-the-job training to approximately 10 college students and recent graduates. In 2012, we piloted our first in-school youth program, The Gig Poster Project.
Through these programs, Spudnik Press focuses on creating multiple avenues for our community to grow artistically, and we are able to meet artists where they are at. We endeavor to be a hub where individuals with diverse disciplines, and of varying ages, and backgrounds can engage together. We believe that this engagement allows ideas from a variety of communities to create a cross-pollinated visual culture within Chicago.