Thank you for your interest in supporting young photographers!

Mentoring youth is at the heart of the programs at Flower City Arts Center—and we need your help. Research shows that strong relationships with caring adults and peers are one of the most important foundations for meaningful youth engagement and growth.

If you have some free time, we would love to have you join us. To support relationship-building, we especially value volunteers who can commit consistently throughout the program, which runs after school from fall through early spring. That said, occasional help is always welcomed too.

You don’t need to be a photography expert—the most important thing is showing up as a caring, supportive adult.

You could help with any or all areas including accompanying groups on field trips, assisting with camera use, darkroom support (analog or digital), assisting youth with writing, helping with matting, framing and final presentation of art work.

About our programs:

Studio 678 is a free after-school photography and writing program for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in the Rochester City School District. Over the course of 30 sessions, students learn to use 35mm film cameras, participate in community-based photo excursions, and create poems and short stories inspired by their images. The program culminates in a collaborative book and exhibitions of student work at venues such as the George Eastman Museum’s Gallery Obscura and City Hall’s Link Gallery.

Studio 912 is a free after-school program that serves high school students in the Rochester City School District and focuses on digital photography, storytelling, and portfolio development. Students generate and pitch ideas, script personal narratives, and explore how to tell stories both through and about their images. They create multimedia pieces using photographs, voiceovers, and text, and develop their writing through artist statements and narrative work.

Please fill out the form below to sign up!