Aspen Art Museum

Video by Amy Gurrentz

Youth Art Expo 2025: Architecture & Imagination

Youth Art Expo invites K-12 students throughout the Extended Roaring Fork Valley to engage their creativity as they reimagine spaces, buildings, and cities in response to creative prompts with no assigned limits. The Museum provides participants with all necessary materials and showcases their artwork in an exhibition to be enjoyed by the entire community from April 16 through May 18, 2025.

The theme for 2025 is Architecture & Imagination with curriculum designed by our Education Team in collaboration with artist Madelon Vriesendorp, multidisciplinary artist Charlie Koolhaas, and designer, educator and nonprofit leader Maya Bird-Murphy.

This unique biennial event encourages students to tap into their creativity and problem-solving skills through artist-designed curricula focused on the theme of architecture and imagination. The result will be a fantastic showcase of visionary and dreamlike constructions, on display at the Aspen Art Museum in the Spring of 2025. The exhibition will span three of our galleries, celebrating the incredible work of young artists in our region.

Now in its third iteration, the Youth Art Expo is grounded in the belief that a great art assignment is itself a form of art. Our team has produced lesson plans, instructional videos, and workshops that emphasize creative thinking and exploration. The projects will culminate in a wide range of artistic outputs, from drawings and models to design objects and human-scale interactive structures that invite viewers to climb inside or observe.

We look forward to seeing the imagination and creativity of your students on display in this exciting celebration of art and architecture!

YAE FAQ

→ How do teachers obtain the Youth Art Expo curriculum & supplies?

Participating students/teachers/classes will receive their curriculum after program signup.

→ Can students participate individually?

Individual students are invited to attend Youth Art Expo themed sessions of Drop-in Art School on Tuesday afternoons. Work made during these sessions will also be included in the expo.

→ When do student projects need to be completed?

Youth Art Expo artwork needs to be complete by the end of March 2025.

→ When and how will artwork be transported to the Aspen Art Museum?

Student artwork will be transported to the Aspen Art Museum in March 2025, and will be arranged by the museum’s education team.

→ When is the exhibition?

Youth Art Expo will open Saturday, April 19 and will be on view through May 18, 2025. Students and their families are invited to celebrate together at the exhibition opening event!

→ Who do I contact if I have questions?

Please email us at education@aspenartmuseum.org for more information.

Past Programs

Thank you to all of the 2023 participants!

This exhibition would not have been possible without your amazing effort!

We look forward to welcoming you back to our Youth Art Expo 2025!

2023 Expo Mentors:

→ Brothers Pablo and Efrain Del Hierro from Puerto Rico and their unique and improvisational puppetry collective, Poncili Creación, will lead workshops, performances, and exhibition design.

→ Rachel Sherk and Aaron Rourk from the MAPS non-profit (Music Art Puppets and Sound), which focuses on bringing experimental art, theater, and music practices to underserved and marginalized communities, will lead additional workshops and performances.

Workshops Available:

    → Day 1 Workshop

    → Day 2 Workshop

Individual students may participate by attending one of the Wednesday Workshops dedicated to puppets and mask-making. More information about this is forthcoming.

Please consult the museum calendar for dates.

Youth Art Expo 2023 was made possible with the support provided by:

→ The Rita and Jeffrey Adler Foundation
→ Idit and Moti Ferder
→ Anna and Matt Freedman
→ Andrea and James Gordon
→ Liz and Eric Lefkofsky, Melony and Adam Lewis
→ the Questrom Education Fund
→ June and Paul Schorr, an Anonymous Donor
→ the City of Aspen.

AAM education programs are made possible by the Questrom Education Fund.