West Valley Arts Council accepts applications for summer apprenticeship

By Mary Goldmeer
Mail

The West Valley Arts Council is now accepting applications for its 2025 Gallery 37 Apprentice Artist Program, an award-winning summer initiative that gives high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to collaborate with professional artists to create public art.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. Friday, April 18. Selected students will work from late May through June at Estrella Mountain Community College to design, develop and install a permanent art piece in a West Valley city. Participants receive mentorship from a master artist, earn college credit through Estrella Mountain and receive a cash stipend for their work.

Since launching in Arizona in 2001, Gallery 37 has trained more than 250 students in both artistic techniques and career-readiness skills such as communication, time management, proposal writing, public speaking and teamwork. Students from across the Valley including Avondale, Buckeye, El Mirage, Glendale, Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Peoria, Surprise and other cities have taken part in the program.

Ryan Williams, a professional artist and editor with Gallery 37, said students who complete the program gain real-world experience that translates beyond the art world.

“These students are very marketable when they’re done with the program,” Williams said. “It shows that they’ve done work with a municipality. They can talk about working in a group, collaboration — really 21st century skills. The creativity of collaboration, the communication skills.”

Williams said the program offers a unique opportunity for young artists to grow while giving back to their communities.

“I think if you’re interested in art and impacting your community, I think you should chase it,” he said. “It takes courage as a high school student to put yourself out for a job, because it’s at a professional level … but if your love or passion is the arts, you should apply.”

Last year’s installation, unveiled Oct. 16 at Estrella Mountain Community College, was the result of a summer’s work by student artists and their instructors. Titled “Cultivating Community” and “Legacy of the Land,” the dual design creates multiple visual perspectives depending on where the viewer stands. The ribbon-cutting was facilitated by the Southwest Valley Chamber of Commerce and attended by program participants.

“I saw photos before I saw the sculpture in person and thought it was two pieces, but it’s not. The creativity is mind-blowing,” said Kathy Knecht, executive director of the West Valley Arts Council. “I always felt like education was a vehicle to make the world a better place, and certainly this is another step in that journey.”

To apply, students must be 15 to 18 years old as of June 1 and reside in one of the communities served by the West Valley Arts Council. Applicants must submit one to two letters of recommendation and bring three to five original artworks to their interview, which is required and scheduled for April 23. A mandatory orientation will follow in early May.

Classes will run 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and attendance is required. More than three absences will disqualify students from participation. The council emphasizes professionalism, punctuality and teamwork throughout the program.

Gallery 37 was developed in Chicago as part of a city beautification effort and later brought to the West Valley in 2001. It has become a signature program for the West Valley Arts Council, supporting its mission to promote inclusive arts and cultural engagement across the region.

Founded in 1969 and rebranded in 1989, the West Valley Arts Council serves 13 municipalities in the region. It is the only multi-disciplinary arts organization of its kind and scope in the West Valley.

Visit westvalleyarts.org for more information or to apply.