2026 LAB! Summer Art Intensive for Teens

2026 LAB THEME: BUILD FOR BETTER 

LAB 2026 SUMMER ART INTENSIVE: June 15 - July 18, 2026 | Mondays – Thursdays | 10am - 3pm

OPENING RECEPTION FOR FRIENDS & FAMILY: Saturday, July 18 | 5–8pm

About Locust Art Builders (LAB)

Now in its 16th year, Locust Art Builders (LAB): Summer Art Intensive for Teens is a unique, five-week, hands-on pre-college program for high school students interested in art, design, and creative careers. Each year, up to 30 student artists from across Miami-Dade County are selected through an open call process to participate in a fully funded program featuring workshops, field trips, and collaborative artmaking sessions. Selected students will dive right into the creative and practical aspects of completing a collaborative full-scale exhibition from scratch at Locust Projects!

2026 Theme: Build for Better

For 2026, LAB focuses on process, physical skill-building, and socially and environmentally conscious practice under the theme “Build for Better”. Stepping away from digital screen fatigue, the 2026 program integrates an "analog to AI" approach, combining digital planning with hands-on, traditional fabrication tools.

Students will holistically design for exhibitions that incorporate sculpture, installation construction, and sustainable materials to physically build the optimistic future they want to inhabit. Guided by mentor artists, students will experiment across media, write artist statements, design print and digital promotional materials, handle the exhibition budget, and plan the details of their opening reception. The artist-led instruction is also complemented by behind-the-scenes field trips to museums, galleries, and artists’ studios.

LAB is Free for All Students

• Students will be provided with free lunch daily.
• All supplies and access to equipment and tools are 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.

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 artworks, 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 artwork.
• Optional: Letter of recommendation from a teacher, mentor, or advisor.

Frequently Asked Questions

• 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 2026. 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 2025 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. 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, 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. 
• Can I submit my application without using the online submission system Submittable? Unfortunately, no. All submissions must be submitted through Submittable. If you need assistance completing your application, please reach out to digital@locustprojects.org. 
• 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 interested students—if you need support to participate in LAB, please let us know.

Locust Art Builders 2025-2026 is 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 of County Commissioners, and The Children’s Trust. Additional support is provided by Susan and Richard Arregui, Diane and Werner Grob, The Kirk Foundation, Miami Salon Group, and the INCUBATORS Friends of the Next Generation.