Teen Art Camp 2026 with Mena Kiernan

Summer at Safety Harbor Art & Music Center is officially off to a creative start! Week 1 of Summer Camp brought together a talented group of teen artists for Teen Art Camp, led by artist and educator Mena Kiernan of Mena[cing] Designs.

Throughout the week, campers explored what it means to think, work, and create like artists. This was not just a week of making fun projects, although there was plenty of that too. Campers learned how artists use the elements and principles of design to make thoughtful creative choices, build strong compositions, and bring their ideas to life.

Their main project for the week was a collaborative mural installation. Each camper received their own large triangle-shaped substrate, generously provided by Jacobsen Homes in Safety Harbor. Using what they learned throughout the week, the teens transformed their triangles into individual works of art filled with color, movement, pattern, texture, and personal expression.

The result was a powerful collection of pieces that showed just how much creativity can grow in one week. Each triangle stood on its own, but together they became part of something larger: a shared artwork created by young artists learning, experimenting, and finding their voices.

On Friday, campers celebrated the end of the week with an art show where the public was invited to view the work and hear the artists talk about their pieces. It was a special opportunity for the teens to share not only what they made, but also the ideas, decisions, and inspiration behind their work.

Soon, the mural pieces will be installed in a public location for the community to enjoy. We love that this project gives our campers the chance to see their artwork become part of the world around them, brightening a shared space and reminding everyone of the importance of youth creativity and arts education.

We are so proud of our Week 1 campers and grateful to Mena Kiernan for leading such an inspiring, hands-on week of learning and creativity. Thank you as well to Jacobsen Homes for helping make this project possible through their generous support.

Week 1 was full of color, ideas, laughter, and artistic energy. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer brings! Here's a gallery with photo recap: