Young Arts Club named Salinas 2024 Artists-in-Residence

As the Youth Art, Music, and Culture Outreach Project program director, Karen Smith facilitates YAC and provides members with art supplies, materials, and direction during weekly workshops. As the group leader for the Artists-in-Residence cohort, Karen appreciates how this year’s SAPU Artists-in-Residence program offers “youth artists the opportunity to be incorporated into the program.” As the first Artists-in-Residence to be considered youth at SAPU, Karen shares that YAC members provide “a fresh and different perspective than older artists. This is going to be an incredible opportunity for the youth and for the [National] Park Service.”

Since June 14, Ada, Cartrell, Samaria, Margarita, Malakai, and Adora have been busy researching and learning about the “Salinas Fossil.” Each has begun to develop artwork in different mediums and is engaging with SAPU staff to seek more information about the “Salinas Fossil” and to share updates on their progress. The cohort will do a presentation to park staff halfway through the program to introduce SAPU to their research process, what they have learned, and to showcase draft pieces of their artwork. As a culmination of their residence, the cohort will do a final presentation to park staff on August 9.