The Teen Arts Mentorship Program is a county-wide, 30+ year old arts enrichment and career development program that offers students ages 13-18 the unique opportunity to work closely with industry professionals and master artists in a studio environment. Working in small groups, students spend over 30 hours producing a portfolio of work to be exhibited and sold in The Arts Fund Community Gallery or performed in a public venue.

Students acquire specific art-making skills, and exhibition and/or performance experience, and are introduced to the aesthetic styles and career choices of artists in our community. The master artists become role models and references for students as they consider advanced studies in the arts. 

The Teen Arts Mentorship program was started in 1993 with a grant from the James Irvine Foundation. We are exceptionally proud of the expansion of the program to now include mentorships in assemblage, collage, creative writing, dance, drawing, film making, painting, photography, print making, sculpture and more.

All Santa Barbara County high school students ages 13-18 are eligible to apply to one or more mentorships in their area.

Over 30+ years, we’ve worked with:

Thanks to our donors, we are able to offer this program tuition-free and provide art materials to participants.

We believe all students should have access to mentorship, regardless of their race, gender, background, and socioeconomic status.