Our apprenticeship-style programs pair teen or transition-aged youth with professional artist-activists to gain experience in creating artworks, professional development, and entrepreneurship.
-
![]()
Rebel Garden Project
An internship-style class for systems-impacted youth since 2022, focused on the crucial role of arts in civic engagement, skill-building and creative entrepreneurship.
-
![]()
Public Art Apprenticeships
Learning and mentoring experiences from practicing public artists for small groups of high-school aged youth.
THE REBEL GARDEN PROJECT
Art + Urban Gardening Internship
Through a semester-long series of workshop-style offerings, interns build arts skills to empower climate resilience and food sovereignty while working towards careers in arts or food-based fields.
-
Interns learn vital creative and artistic skills that pertain to food sovereignty, food access, entrepreneurship, design, visual arts and leadership from local community artists and activists.
-
This internship is specifically designed to support systems-impacted teens and young adults (ages 15-22).
-
This program addresses the root cause of inequities in South L.A. by striving to empower systems-impacted youth with access to educational resources, creative opportunities, and pathways to sustainable careers.
-
The Rebel Garden is located at Chuco’s Justice Center in South L.A. Participants attend F.R.E.E. LA High School, an alternative school for systems-impacted youth.
Knowledge Increase by Topic
PUBLIC ART APPRENTICESHIPS
Students work closely with a professional artist to help create a large-scale work of art, gaining experience in design and building, crafting artist statements, documentation, project management, working with sustainable and repurposed materials and learning how to convey a message through art.
-
By pairing students with a practicing large-scale artist to help build an artwork, students experience all aspects of bringing a large scale artwork to life, from planning, creating a team, building, documenting, transporting and installing.
-
This is a program geared towards small groups (5-10 individuals) of high school students and young adults.
Past mentoring artists include James Peterson and NiNo Alicea.
-
Our Public Art Apprenticeships teach students many valuable skills they can take into their future, including teamwork, collaboration, project management, design, construction and more. They also experience first hand how art can carry a powerful message and create change.
-
Environmental Charter High School - Hawthorne, CA
Burning Man Arts Festival - exhibitions
Impact
“The beauty that Ruckus Roots nourishes in our communities is the perfect remedy for a world craving to remember creative engagement and purposeful connection.
Ruckus Roots is the perfect antidote for all of us who find ourselves isolated, staring at screens and wondering what to do with ourselves.....CREATE ART! It is an honor to be able to put my money into circulation in this beautiful and productive way.
— Donor