Digital Youth Leadership Program

A ten-day of digital art, communication, and leadership skills development program in Washington, DC for Argentinian youth from underserved communities. This program immerses Potrero Digital Argentinian teens in the work of Smithsonian ARTLAB+ through mentored labwork, behind-the-scenes tours, and peer-to-peer interaction.

The Smithsonian ARTLAB+ is a free after-school program, an inclusive space at the Hirshhorn Museum, where teens can explore digital media and technical tools, and take workshops to develop their interests and skills.

Potrero Digital is an Argentine digital school in an impoverished community of Buenos Aires, teaching digital skills to youth — and soft skills needed to make them ‘work ready’.

CEDA is inviting two students and their mentor from Potrero Digital in June 2022 (originally in March 2020 but postpone due COVID-19’s quarantine) to participate in this Program. Students will practice their leadership skills by navigating challenging scenarios and then passing on their experiences through dialogue with their peers back in Argentina.

This initiative is being supported by the Smithsonian Institution, ICANA (Instituto Cultural Argentino Norteamericano), Embassy of the USA in Argentina, Embassy of Argentina in the USA, and mentored by Oscar winner, Argentine film director Juan Jose Campanella.

Potrero Digital

Educating and providing youth with opportunities to get out of poverty, secure jobs and thrive within a digital world.

Fostering digital skills to vulnerable youth.

Potrero Digital is a network of learning centers for digital art, oriented towards social integration. Providing training in digital craft to people over 16 years of age with socioeconomic barriers, and linking them with job opportunities in the digital labor market.

LabArt @ Smithsonian

Free access to the latest technology, art-making materials, and one-on-one mentorship in music production, digital art, and more.ology, artmaking materials, and one-on-one mentorship in music production, digital art

A creative arts program for teens ages thirteen to nineteen

Artlab is an inclusive community—meaning we welcome teens of all backgrounds and identities to participate, activate their voices, and share their sparkle in full color. Artlab gives teens real opportunities to contribute, and our programs equip young people to access their power and build the world they want to see.

“Education is the best antidote to poverty.”

Juan José Campanella — Argentine television and film director, writer and producer. He is a prominent figure of cinema, and achieved worldwide fame with the release of The Secret in Their Eyes, for which he was awarded the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.