Create an Art and Literary Journal

Teacher: Adriana Yugovich, English

School: Humanitas Academy of Art & Technology

Project Goal(s): Students will launch a 32-page school art & literary journal and learn the process of publishing from concept and editing to design, layout and promotion. 

Description of Activities 

The Art and English departments joined forces to create a new class called Media Flex, focusing on exploring the process of creating, editing and publishing creative content to be shared beyond the classroom. Students took on editorial roles, engaged in art and writing critiques, and utilized Adobe Photoshop and InDesign to bring their new publication to life, then organized a book release/open mic event at a local cafe where students read their work and facilitated dialogue about arts advocacy with the community. 

ETA funds were used for the cost of printing the journals.

Literature and Fine Art

Teacher: Lindsey Elenson, ELA

School: Urban Assembly School for Law & Justice

Project Goal(s): Students will investigate the power, freedom, and limitations of speech and self-expression and how visual art is used to express ideas.

Description of Activities

The project connected to a unit on the novel Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson in which a teenager stops speaking after being sexually assaulted and instead turns to artmaking as a way to express herself. Students were led by a teaching artist through critical dialogues on artworks by Picasso, Frida Kahlo and others to investigate how cubism, symbolism and self portraiture have been employed by artists to freely express themselves. Students created original pieces echoing these styles to visually communicate their own ideas of themselves.

ETA funds were used for art supplies, teaching artist fees and Guggenheim museum admission.

Arts Partner(s)

Monique Schubert - freelance artist