DEADLINE MAY 15

2025 LAB THEME: DIGITAL DAYDREAMS 

EXPLORING CONTEMPORARY ART PRACTICES AT THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND TECHNOLOGY - no technical experience required
 

2025 Locust Art Builders (LAB): Summer Art Intensive for Teens.  

Takes place daily Monday - Thursday June 16 - July 17, 2025 at Locust Projects (note Thursday June 19th is a holiday, no LAB that day).  

Students must attend 19 days total which includes the Saturday July 19 opening reception and certificate ceremony. Only one absence allowed. Friday, July 18 is an absence make up day. 

LAB 2025 SUMMER ART INTENSIVE: June 16 - July 17, 2025 | Mondays – Thursdays | 10am - 3pm 

OPENING RECEPTION FOR FRIENDS & FAMILY: Saturday, July 19 | 6-8pm 

About Locust Art Builders (LAB): Now in its 15th year in 2025, LAB is a unique summer art intensive for high school students with an interest in art, design, and exploring creative careers. In spring 2025 an open call will invite up to 30 students from across Miami-Dade County to learn from professional artists in a dynamic program over five weeks next summer. Selected students will dive right into the creative, and practical, aspects of completing a collaborative full-scale exhibition at Locust Projects!

Running concurrently with Tomas Vu’s intermedia installation, Blackstar, this year’s LAB draws inspiration from legendary musician David Bowie’s legacy of reinvention, experimentation, and boundary-pushing artistry. In Digital Daydreams, students will use digital tools to explore memory, machine-generated imagery, and immersive media. 

Just as Bowie fused disciplines, LAB participants will integrate collage, sound design, video projections, and 3D printing to craft a collective dreamscape. 

Guided by mentor professional teaching artists in experimenting with glitch aesthetics, generative AI, and surrealist techniques, students will build a fully immersive exhibition—one that challenges creative boundaries between simulation and inspires artistic transformation.

LAB is FREE for all students. 

- Students will be provided with free lunch daily.

- All supplies and access to equipment and tools provided. 

- Transportation stipends are available up to $500 with receipts to assist with travel to and from Locust Projects.

- Students will receive a Builder Bag with art supplies and more as well as an artist edition shirt.

- Students may be able to receive community service hours for their participation; please ask your school for details. 

Want to learn more about what makes LAB so special?  See this video created by past LAB students!

What's on the application?
 

• WHY IS LAB FOR YOU? Express your interest in LAB via text or video.  We'd love to know what you want to learn this summer and why you are a good fit for this opportunity!
• SHOW US YOUR CREATIVE SIDE: Share up to 8 recently completed art works, designs, or projects.  You can upload photos of your work or show us your work in a short video!
• IMAGE CAPTION SHEET: Please include a PDF or word doc with the title, media, date, and a brief description of each art work.  
• OPTIONAL: Letter of recommendation from a teacher, mentor, or advisor. 

 
FAQs

Who is eligible?  Students currently enrolled in public or private high schools in Miami-Dade County.  Students must have completed at least one year of high school by June 2025.  Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders as well as graduating 12th graders are all eligible to apply.

Who is not eligible?  Students who are in middle school, entering ninth grade in the fall, or who graduated in 2024 or prior. Students living outside of Miami-Dade County are not eligible.

Can I apply if I am not sure I want to go to art school? Of course!  LAB is the perfect place to explore your interest in art or design, learn how to make things using new skills and tools, and learn all about careers in the arts. Whether or not you go to art school, LAB can help you gain confidence and learn how to problem solve creatively.

Can I work on my personal projects as part of LAB? While some activities will involve working independently, working collaboratively with other young artists is a crucial part of LAB. Most projects, and the final exhibition, are produced as a team. Personal art practices often feed into this final result, but it is important that applicants understand that they will also be required to work closely with other young artists during LAB. If you are not open to working collaboratively as part of a team, this program might not be the right fit for you. 

Can I take days off from LAB? Students must attend a minimum of 19 days - if you have a pre-college program or vacation planned or other commitment, please do not apply to LAB.

Can PDFs include links?  Yes, they may include links to websites, video hosting services like YouTube or Vimeo, as well as links to galleries, previous exhibitions, and/or past reviews, if applicable.

Can I submit my application without using the online submission system Submittable?  Unfortunately, no.  All submissions must be submitted through Submittable.  Submittable accounts are free.  If you need assistance completing your application, please let us know by reaching out to digital@locustprojects.org.  We're happy to help! One of your teachers might also be able to help!

Who can I speak to if I have more questions?  For more info, please contact: digital@locustprojects.org or 305.576.8570. We strive to make LAB accessible to all students interested - If you need support to participate in LAB, please let us know.

LocustArt Builders 2024-2025 was made possible through lead support from the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor Board and County Commissioners, The Children’s Trust. Additional support provided by Susan and Richard Arregui, Diane and Werner Grob, The Kirk Foundation, Miami Salon Group, and the INCUBATORS Friends of the Next Generation.