Teen and Tween Arts Collectives provide creative space for LGBTQIA+ youth

Every first and third Tuesday of the month, the Eno Arts Mill hosts the Teen Arts Collective, a space for LGBTQIA+ identifying teens to create art and find community with each other.

Funded by grants through the Orange County Arts Commission, the Collective is completely free and does not require reservation. Over time, the teen space has evolved from three to four teens each session, to over 20. 

Natalia Torres del Valle is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, a registered expressive arts therapist and the founder of the teen space.

“Community is so healing and that was one of the reasons I wanted to start this group,” Torres said.

Torres said that she’s found the kids that come in often feel isolated and the space has allowed them to blossom into their genuine selves. While one of Torres’ roles is to bring the art supplies, she is always present to facilitate conversations or have discussions with the kids, even though it is not a therapy group.

To expand the space even more, Torres invited multiple queer guest artists to discuss and teach about their experiences in creative spaces. 

Jason Lord, one of the guests, is an interdisciplinary artist. Lord facilitated a workshop with the teens on the history of collage, particularly the Dada movement, which was a response to World War I. Dadaists created absurd art to challenge norms and react to the horrors of war.  

“We talked about art as a means of resistance in a way of pushing against systems that are designed to harm you,” Lord said.

Lord said as young queer artists, it is important to spend time with those you share experiences with.

“They have an excuse to come together and see each other and be reminded that they’re not the only ones in the world,” Lord said.

The guest artists are a way for the teens to make connections and understand that there are queer people who survive, thrive and make a joy-filled life of art, Lord said. 

The success of the teen space prompted Torres to start a new Tween Arts Collective to support the younger children of the community.

“We were getting parents reaching out, wondering if we had a group for younger kiddos,” Torres said. “So it really seemed to be a need in the community.”

The tween collective is also completely free, supported by a grant from Anita Mills and Andrea Selch. 

Katie Murray, the director of the Orange County Arts Commission, said that the most important aspect of both the tween and teen collectives is for the youth to find a place of belonging.

“I think anybody that has a reason to feel ‘other than’ oftentimes struggles with finding their community and finding their crew of people that they feel like they can be themselves around,” Murray said. “That is totally what programs like this provide.”

The space has also prompted the kids to show off their art in unique ways.

After Hurricane Helene, the teens brought their own art to a First Friday at the Mill event, which opens an exhibit for a featured artist, and raised over $500 for BeLoved Asheville. They plan to join with the tweens for an art show in June and July with a chosen theme of monochrome.

“It’s such a beautiful, caring, loving group of kids that just wants to give back to the community,” Torres said.

Murray said that she has loved watching the ripple effect of programs like these, spreading positivity and camaraderie beyond a Tuesday evening.

Parents of the teens and tweens have also found company amongst each other. Torres said that navigating the world with an LGBTQIA+ teen can be isolating and the connections that the parents make while dropping off their children is just as special as the connections made within the collective.

“If we can provide a safe, welcoming, judgement free space for people to come and make new friends and find their social circle, then I think it’s life changing,” Murray said.

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