2025 Locust Art Builders (LAB) Summer Art Intensive for Teens - CLOSED

About LAB

Now in its 15th year, LAB is a unique five-week summer art intensive for high school students interested in art, design, and creative careers. Selected students will work with professional artists on a collaborative full-scale exhibition at Locust Projects.

2025 Theme: Digital Daydreams

Inspired by David Bowie's legacy of experimentation and the current exhibition Blackstar by Tomas Vu, students will explore contemporary art practices at the intersection of art and technology, experimenting with digital tools, memory, machine-generated imagery, and immersive media while integrating collage, sound design, video projections, and 3D printing. No technical experience required.

Dates & Schedule

• Intensive: June 16 - July 17, 2025 (Mondays–Thursdays, 10am–3pm; 9am early drop-off and 5pm pick-up available)
• Note: Thursday, June 19 is a holiday (no LAB that day)
• Students must attend 19 days total, including Saturday, July 19 opening reception and certificate ceremony
• Only one absence allowed; Friday, July 18 is a make-up day
• Opening Reception for Friends & Family: Saturday, July 19, 6–8pm

Eligibility

• Students currently enrolled in public or private high schools in Miami-Dade County
• Must have completed at least one year of high school by June 2025
• Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders and graduating 12th graders are eligible
• Not eligible: middle school students, those entering 9th grade in fall, or those who graduated in 2024 or prior

Application

• Applications open: March 27, 2025
• Deadline: May 15, 2025
• All submissions must use Submittable (free accounts available)
• Contact [email protected] for assistance

What to Submit

• Express your interest in LAB via text or video (tell us what you want to learn and why you're a good fit)
• Share up to 6 recently completed art works, designs, or projects (photos or short video)
• Image caption sheet (PDF with title, media, date, and brief description of each work)
• Optional: Letter of recommendation from a teacher, mentor, or advisor

What's Provided

LAB is FREE. Students receive free lunch daily, a Builder Bag with art supplies, an artist edition shirt, and all workshop tools and equipment. Transportation stipends are available upon request. Students may be eligible for community service hours; check with your school.

Contact

For more information, contact [email protected] or call 305.576.8570.