The Youth Making Art Activism A Profession in SF

The Artivate activists at their temporary show on Market Street.

Market and Fourth Street came alive last Saturday with a vibrant and interactive art pop-up event organized by the forward-thinking Artivate group, a part The Chinese Historical Society (CHSA) and  Project Artivism.

Teen artists transformed an old news kiosk into a creative hub, showcasing a stunning 32-foot-long mural collage. It depicted the rich history of activism on Market Street. Passers-by were invited to participate in the experience by visiting a mobile print-making studio on a bicycle, where they could print posters inspired by the captivating stories portrayed in the mural.

Visitors on Market Street were encouraged to make their own poster st the mobile printmaking studio while learning San Francisco history.

Funded by the Department of Public Works and Project Artivism, this class partnered with The Chinese Historical Society (CHSA) and The Haight Street Art Center. The students wanted to give a positive experience to visitors on Market Street as well as educate and inspire them to learn more about the area’s fascinating history with activism. CHSA also provided a wealth of photographs of past parades and protests for the students to use in making art. “We challenged the students to think about what they were passionate about in regards to their own lives and their own activism.” says Chris Treggiari, one of the founders of the program.

The Artivate Printmaking studio is on a bike –  by Chris Treggiari, Justin Hoover, Sergio de la Torres & Gonzalo Hidalgo.

The collage is a good illustration of this. Images of Cesar Chavez protesting for farmworker rights run seamlessly into later protests on climate change and early pride parades. Chris and Amy Berk of City Studios began the program during the Covid shutdown in order to provide a safe space for young artists to build a community.

Mini protest signs placed by visitors on the 32-foot mural during the event.

Artivate is open to teens from all over the Bay Area. It is run like a college course, as a result, it asks its participants to think like an activist and to disperse those ideas like a conceptual artist.

“We pay them small stipends for their time. The reason why we do this is we want to professionalize the art practice. It will make them realize that we deserve to get paid for our time for what we do as artists, designers and thinkers.”
– Program Co-Founder Chris Treggiari

Artivate will be painting a mural in historic Clarion Alley this summer. They are currently accepting new students.  Project Artivism uplifts young activists while giving them the opportunity to celebrate the history of the San Francisco Bay Area.

To learn more about Artivate in SF:

Web: projectartivism.org

Instagram: @project.artivism