ICP Teen Academy welcomes teenagers ages 14–19 from across the United States and around the world to develop their skills as visual storytellers and changemakers in a range of online and in-person courses. The program is designed to cultivate visual literacy, personal vision, and leadership skills through both seasonal and yearlong courses focused on the techniques and histories of photography and visual culture. 

The exhibition below and virtual showcase feature work created by students in the 2021–2022 Teen Academy Imagemakers program. This weekly after-school program enables motivated high school juniors, seniors, and gap year students to advance their photography, writing, and public speaking skills while developing an awareness of the creative and professional possibilities in the field. The images and writings in the showcase celebrate the unique perspectives of each student and give collective meaning to the power of photography and storytelling to educate and transform.

Featured Artists

Vivaluz Austin

Genesis Castro

Kaelyn De La Cruz

Mason Detrani

Sophia Fodor

Julia Geniesse

Chiara Hamazaki

Daniel Jeon

Kevin Lee

Saskia Lethin

Hailey Moya

Lorca Peña Nissenblatt

Litzy Puma

Ella B. Rose

Dagmar Rothschild

Iris Sagitta

Demetrios Vasilopoulos

Piero Zanes

Image: © Chiara Hamazaki
A photo of a woman's lips with lipstick all over her lips and teeth © Vivaluz Austin
A profile of someone with textured hair, their face covered with tinfoil. © Genesis Castro
Crates of records inside a record store and one record, "Salsa Brava" leaning against a milk crate. © Kaelyn De La Cruz
A beat up wooden floor and somebody squatting in black tights. © Mason Detrani
Blurry image of a cinderella figure © Sophia Fodor
Cropped ocean view of waves alongside a snaking trail of paper clips attached to one another. © Julia Geniesse
A person looking at the fish in the fish tank. © Chiara Hamazaki
Three images and a poem. © Daniel Jeon
A mason jar on its side besides a dainty wrist watch and folded polaroids. © Kevin Lee
Ripped up photographs © Saskia Lethin
The side profile of a young woman with bangs in the dark looking slightly up. © Hailey Moya
The backside of a blonde woman's head as she looks on to a river. © Lorca Peña Nissenblatt
A family of four sitting on a couch, smiling and looking at one another. © Litzy Puma
A person grabbing their legs. © Ella B. Rose
A lady laying in bed. © Dagmar Rothschild
Two blonde women simultaneously leaning backwards, exposing their necks. © Iris Sagitta
The shadow of two people outside. © Demetrios Vasilopoulos
Kid playing basketball in the garage © Piero Zanes

Special Thanks

Teen Academy is made possible with generous support from Joy of Giving Something, inc., Luana Alesio, Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, William Talbott Hillman Foundation, Philip and Edith Leonian Foundation, Keith Haring Foundation, Eye Contact Foundation, Houston Family Foundation, Susan and Thomas Dunn, Stuart Z. Katz and Jane D. Martin, Monika and Deven Parekh, May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, and Lois and Bruce Zenkel.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and New York State Legislature, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

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