Kingston Youth Voices
Kingston Youth Voices is an arts education and youth apprenticeship program O+ created in collaboration with Pop-Up Gallery Group (PUGG), a local youth workforce development program run by The Department of Regional Art Workers (The D.R.A.W.). Apprentices are ages 16-24 and join Kingston Youth Voices for hands-on training in arts administration and large-scale public art planning and installation. Apprentices are paid $15-18/hour to ensure that young people across the economic spectrum have equal access to this opportunity, and work directly with O+ teaching artists; upon completion of the program, all apprentices gain access to O+ healthcare services as alumni of our program.
Kingston Youth Voices is made possible with the support of:
Current audio tours include:
Audio tours give the public an entry point to better understanding public art and help O+ clarify the organizational intent behind each mural, highlight artist voices, and give community members – including building owners who agree to steward murals, folks who don’t like a particular mural, and young people living in the communities in which these murals exist – direct access to the conversation we are constantly having at O+ about the why, what, where, and how of each individual piece of art.
Audio also enhances accessibility for folks with disabilities, folks with visual impairment, folks outside of Kingston, and anyone who doesn’t understand public art.