This Saturday catch a one-time screening of a documentary film about a multiracial, multigenerational group of New Mexican artists focused on mentorship and social justice. Guild Cinema (3405 Central Ave. NE) presents the Working Classroom Youth Arts Leadership Documentary at 1 p.m. on Feb 15. Executive Director Madalena Salazar says the documentary is basically a snapshot of what the organization does in a year.
Since 1987 Working Classrooom has enriched the community through youth-centered art projects. The nonprofit works with professional artists based in Albuquerque, but also regionally, nationally and sometimes internationally. In 2024 the organization launched its Youth Arts Leadership Program, a multidisciplinary program involving 25 young people ages 14 to 23 in community-based projects over eight months. The program included leadership development, creative goal-setting and apprenticeships in various art forms — from creative writing to media and theater art.
“They learned how to identify their values and their creative, educational and professional goals, and they were able to get a taste of all sorts of different forms of art from our different teaching artists,” Salazar says. “The idea really is that as these young people age out of this program, they will be hooked into other opportunities that we have here at Working Classroom and with our community partners.”
Directed by Ramon Hamilton of Think Ten Media Group, the documentary gives audiences a look at Working Classroom’s community-led projects from the perspectives of their Youth Arts Leaders and the program’s youth participants. After the documentary, catch some of Working Classroom’s “Arts in Action” shorts, followed by a Q&A with the young filmmakers. The “Arts in Action” shorts feature projects such as mural restorations, mosaic workshops and the implementation of public art at Barelas Park.
“We engage with a wide diversity of artists that are primarily from backgrounds that reflect the young people that we serve in our community — low income, primarily marginalized communities — but it’s very important for us to open Working Classroom up to anybody that wants to participate with us,” Salazar says.
You can apply for Working Classroom’s 2025 Youth Arts Leadership program by scanning the code here.
You can donate to the Working Classroom Annual Fund here.
Working Classroom Youth Arts Leadership Documentary
Saturday, Feb. 15, 1 p.m.
Guild Cinema
3405 Central Ave. NE
$10 general admission, $20 admission w/ donation