Swiss Institute Teen Council (SITC)

The Swiss Institute Teen Council (SITC) is a paid weekly opportunity for teens and young adults of all backgrounds (ages 16–21) to explore different forms of leadership, practice teamwork and collaborative negotiation, share ideas in a brave space, and create original art and programming.

SITC members manifest shared ideas and bring them to life with the support of SI and staff. Members also develop professional and interpersonal skills to help with future endeavors in various career paths. SITC fosters a creative environment to engage with the arts, and provides a safe space to grow individually and collectively.

The direction of SITC is led by the interests and passions of its members, but some possible directions include: planning event/s and program/s centered around a teen and young adult audience, creating and publishing a zine, curating an exhibition and/or putting together a performance, shooting and editing a film, organizing a mutual aid project at the intersection of art and community, and so much more.

This year SITC members will use queer histories, theory, and contemporary arts as a foundation for manifesting shared ideas and bringing them to life to create a program or event for their peers.

Requirements

• Be between 16-21 years old at the start of the program.
   
• Be available Thursdays, 4:30-6:30pm for in-person meetings at 38 St Marks Place.
   
• Applicants do not need to be in school, and in fact we strongly encourage young people no longer in school to apply. 

Details and Registration

• SITC will meet on select Thursdays, 4:30pm-6:30pm for 15 sessions between October 23, 2025 and March 26, 2026.
   
• Participants will be paid $16.50/hr for their completed hours.
   
• Applications will be accepted until 10:00am on Wednesday, October 1. Students will be notified about their acceptance by October 3rd.
   
• Priority is given to alumni of other SI Teen programs, but all interested in more self-directed leadership opportunities in the arts are welcome to apply.
   
• Applicants are welcome to apply to and participate in both Teen Class and Teen Council for the same semester if accepted. 
   

Goals

• Immerse in queer history, theory, and art.
   
• Explore alternative and unexpected forms of leadership and collaboration.
   
• Practice teamwork, collective artmaking, and decision-making.
   
• Create original art and programming for peers.
   
• Experience the process of ideating, planning, and completing a long-term project.

Access Statement

In this program we will be moving around in the city, using public transportation and seated or standing for a long amount of time. Sometimes, there will be artworks containing triggering or challenging content. We will give a content warning as much as we possibly can in these cases. 

Masks are not required for this program but participants are welcome to wear one. SI will make masks and COVID-19 tests available to all participants. All meetings on-site at SI will have a HEPA air purifier running in the meeting space. All participants must be up-to-date with vaccinations including COVID-19 vaccines.