Creative Art Works

06/16/2026

Celebrate Juneteenth with creativity and community! ❤️🖤💚

Join Creative Art Works & the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation this Saturday for the 6th Annual Historic Harlem Parks Juneteenth Festival! Come make your own fabric prints in Pan-African colors, enjoy music by DJ Jon Quick, and dive into jumbo games with the family.

📅Saturday, June 20, 2026

🕑2:00 PM-5:00 PM

📍The Bandshell in Jackie Robinson Park (Enter at 148th St. & Bradhurst Ave. | ADA accessible entrance at 150th St.)

🎶 Music by DJ Jon Quick

06/12/2026

https://www.creativeartworks.org/blogpreview/2026/character-design
At Creative Art Works , we are invested in developing young people to meet the challenges of the modern workforce, whether they ultimately choose to pursue a creative career or not. Our Character Design and Advanced Illustration & Worldbuilding programs are paid internships offered at four NYC Career and Technical Education (CTE) High Schools. Working alone or in groups, interns are challenged to create their own fully-realized characters with backstories, personality traits, and strengths and weaknesses. It’s a lot of work, but it’s also a lot of fun. Read all about it on our blog!

Our 2026 Character Design programs are sponsored by Transcend. Creative Art Works' programs are also made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Creative Art Works' creative workforce development programs receive support from the Leroy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, the Lily Auchincloss Foundation, the Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation, the Pinkerton Foundation, and the William Talbott Hillman Foundation. These programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

06/11/2026

https://www.creativeartworks.org/2026-character-design-landing-page

Congratulations to our Interns from Urban Assembly Gateway High School: Runner-Up Mahir Rahman for his character “The Sausage” and Winner Olga Gopka for her character “Basilius Cavindish.

At CAW, we are invested in developing young people to meet the challenges of the modern workforce, whether they ultimately choose to pursue a creative career or not. Our Character Design and Advanced Illustration & Worldbuilding programs are paid internships offered at four NYC Career and Technical Education (CTE) High Schools. The program nurtured skills that are transferable to any job, such as collaboration, meeting deadlines, active listening and persuasive speaking, and presenting ideas in a professional manner.

These programs are supported by Transcend, an investment fund focused on video game develpment.

06/09/2026

Our programs nurture the creative, intellectual, and social development of young people from early reading comprehension through their first part-time job to career readiness. By following the creative process, they ultimately reshape their future.

Check out our latest blog, "Perspectives" to take a deep dive into essential questions that inform CAW's curricula and allow our young people to share their perspectives.

There are essential questions that inform all Creative Art Works lesson plans. These questions ask students and youth apprentices to look inward, analyze their surroundings, and connect with others. 

06/04/2026

https://www.creativeartworks.org/2026-character-design-chelsea

At CAW, we are invested in developing young people to meet the challenges of the modern workforce, whether they ultimately choose to pursue a creative career or not. Our Character Design and Advanced Illustration & Worldbuilding programs are paid internships offered at four NYC Career and Technical Education (CTE) High Schools.

Each year, we choose design winners and superlatives for each CTE school, plus a grand prize winner and runner-up. Today, we wish to congratulate our Interns from Chelsea CTE high School: Runner-Up Americk Davis for their character Fari the angel and Winner Ayana Badeeva for their character Casper.

These programs are supported by Transcend, an investment fund for video games and interactive entertainment.

You can find out more about these programs on our website.

06/01/2026

Creative Art Works is popping up in two different spots in upper manhattan this Saturday. Take part in community art making at:

🌳 Montefiore Park | Join us for It’s My Park Day! Help beautify the neighborhood and dive into some fun community art-making.

🦒 Giraffe Path | Lace up your sneakers! We’re teaming up with Hike the Heights for a day of trail exploration and creativity.

Bring the kids, enjoy the fresh air, and make some art with your community. Which one are we seeing you at? 🎨

05/22/2026

Arts education is essential for a thriving New York City! 🎨✨

Our Executive Director, Karen Jolicoeur, recently attended the 2026 Policy Forum on Arts Education, hosted by the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable NYC Arts in Education Roundtable, New 42, and the Arts Education Advisory Committee at The New Victory Theater.

The forum brought together students, artists, educators, community leaders, and lawmakers for a vital cross-sector discussion on how the arts enhance the culture of learning and partnership. At Creative Art Works, we know firsthand how critical a strong arts ecosystem is for NYC schools and youth. We are incredibly grateful to be part of these essential conversations to push for sustainable change and support for arts education!

05/19/2026

We’re grateful to announce that we are recipients of the foundation Your Light Foundation's 2026 grant! Their support allows us to empowering young people through art, ensuring that NYC youth have access to quality arts education. Find Your Light is dedicated to supporting exceptional arts programs where the need is greatest, recognizing arts education as an essential part of a young person’s development. Thank you, Find Your Light, for championing the power of the arts and helping us make a lasting impact!

05/16/2026

http://eepurl.com/QJqbJWaSH4

Thank you to everyone who supported our Annual Benefit for Kids. It was a banner night!

The energy in the Savoy Club-GM Building on May 30 was electric as more than 500 guests mingled to the sound of live jazz while enjoying cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Leading sponsors enjoyed exceptional wines and champagne donated from the personal collection of Neil & Bari Goldmacher during the VIP cocktail hour.

More than 30 youth apprentices and high school students were on hand to act as docents in our youth art gallery, sparking engaging conversations with guests. The gallery included paintings, sculptures, videos, graphic art, mixed media, and character designs.

To get a more expansive view of the evening, we invite you to check out the photo galleries, watch the recap video, read the Benefit Journal, click in image below.

Thank you to everyone who supported our Annual Benefit for Kids. It was a banner night! The energy in the Savoy Club-GM Building was electric as more than 500 guests mingled to the sound of live jazz while enjoying cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Leading sponsors enjoyed exceptional wines and cha...

05/16/2026

https://mailchi.mp/creativeartworks/2026-benefit-wrap-up?e=4ed8ecca2e

Thank you to everyone who supported our Annual Benefit for Kids. It was a banner night!

The energy in the Savoy Club-GM Building on May 30 was electric as more than 500 guests mingled to the sound of live jazz while enjoying cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Leading sponsors enjoyed exceptional wines and champagne donated from the personal collection of Neil & Bari Goldmacher during the VIP cocktail hour.

More than 30 youth apprentices and high school students were on hand to act as docents in our youth art gallery, sparking engaging conversations with guests. The gallery included paintings, sculptures, videos, graphic art, mixed media, and character designs.

To get a more expansive view of the evening, we invite you to check out the photo galleries, watch the recap video, read the Benefit Journal, click in image below.

Thank you to everyone who supported our Annual Benefit for Kids. It was a banner night! The energy in the Savoy Club-GM Building was electric as more than 500 guests mingled to the sound of live jazz while enjoying cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Leading sponsors enjoyed exceptional wines and cha...