Young New Yorkers (YNY)—an organization providing arts-based programs to New York kids criminally tried in prosecution as adults—believes that “with the right leadership, court-involved young people can transform in Criminal Justice System through an exploration of their own creative voices, and naturally become community leaders themselves.”

httpss://vimeo.com/115629616

Rachel Barnard, originally from Brisbane, has been living in New York since 2007, and is YNY’s founding executive director. She developed grassroots operation YNY in partnership with the criminal court system, for juveniles in Brooklyn, NY who are eligible defendants to opt out of jail time and replace it with transformative programs. Voluntary-based, eight-week long community programs are court-mandated and offer a series of six intensive, hands-on workshops. The organization allows the individuals to design public art installations with positive, social messages of their choice alongside local artists, and encourages critical thinking, positive results emotional and behavioral skills, and vies for self-expression and responsibility.

The weekly artworks are presented in the Young New Yorkers Finale, where members of the Criminal Justice System, and the community at large, are invited to see the new graduates and their artistically teamed work.

On April 1, YNY has teamed up with Paddle 8 to create a benefit auction for the works created by juveniles within the YNY program. In support, one can bid on works by Shepard Fairey, David Heckney, Steven Holl, Swoon, Michael Benisty, and other artists to help the transformative journey for Brooklyn kids, and to keep their adult criminal record clean.

Criminal Justice System

Preview: Young New Yorkers’ Upcoming Art Auction