For over 25 years, Brooklyn Arts Exchange’s annual Teen Artist Exchange (formerly Teen Arts Conference) has invited teen performing arts companies and individual artists (ages 13-18) across New York City to come together as part of a wider cultural community of learners and practitioners.

This free event for invited teen participants offers a dynamic range of theater, dance, drag, and interdisciplinary performance workshops, along with opportunities for sharing original performance work, peer mentorship, resource exchange, and creative professional development.

Each year, the Teen Artist Exchange engages with timely and timeless themes at the intersection of art, community, and social impact. Through embodied practices and dialogue, we explore how our creative work can be a vehicle for activism and for imagining healthier futures for all.

We tap into the generative power of artmaking to inspire collective action and envision the alternative world we want to create and inhabit.

Inspiring teen artists, workshop facilitators, and company directors from such cultural community partners as Irondale Youth Company, Dancewave Youth Company, Cora Youth Company, Haus of Hawks (BPHS Dance Team), The People’s Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Company,  and BAX’s own Performance Workshop ensembles come together to participate in this special day filled with energizing interactive workshops and artistic exchanges. 

Examples of these workshops and exchanges includes:

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Peer Leadership & Community Engagement

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Drag Performance

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Salsa Dancing

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Check out last year’s Teen Arts Exchange. 

Photography By: Ndaru Kartikaningsih
A woman is captured mid-air in a dance jump inside a studio with wooden floors and large windows.
A woman stands indoors against a plain white wall, wearing a shiny gold button-up shirt, a white cropped vest, and unique two-tone pants—metallic silver on top and black on the bottom. She has white socks on and gold star stickers on her face.
This image shows a group of people dancing in a studio. The person in front is wearing a sparkly blue jacket, black clothes, and has short hair with a star sticker near their eye. Others in the background are also dancing and wearing shiny or fun outfits. The room has a wooden floor and white walls.
he girl in the front is wearing a shiny purple skirt, gray tights, a black shirt, and a denim jacket. She has sparkly decorations on her face. Others in the background are also dressed in fun, colorful clothes. They are in a bright room with wooden floors and white walls.
This image shows a group of people dancing in a studio with wooden floors and white walls. Everyone is dressed in colorful, creative outfits. Two people in the front are actively moving, with one wearing a shiny silver and black outfit and the other in a bright purple ruffled skirt with a denim jacket. The mood seems fun and energetic as they rehearse or enjoy a dance activity together.
Three people stand in a brightly lit room with wooden floors and white walls, possibly a dance or performance studio. On the left, a young woman with curly hair and face gems wears green leggings, a silver sequin halter top, and white sneakers, with one hand touching her neck. In the center, a young man with curly hair and drawn-on facial designs wears a navy velvet suit and graphic tee, mid-gesture with a playful expression. On the right, another person wears a teal sequin jacket, black pants, and a studded black shirt, smiling
A group of people sit and stand in a cozy room, smiling and watching something off-camera. The mood is cheerful and relaxed, with a sense of community and shared enjoyment.
Two dancers strike playful poses on stage, arms wide and leaning to the side. They appear confident and joyful, sharing a moment of rhythm and expression.
Two dancers perform on a wooden stage one reaches upward with expressive movement, while the other poses thoughtfully. The moment captures creativity and focus in a quiet, open space.
A dancer moves joyfully under stage lights while another person watches and claps from the side. The space is bright and open, creating a fun and supportive atmosphere.
A person dances in the spotlight with arms raised while others watch and clap in the background. The setting is warm and full of positive energy.
A person in a red shirt is dancing energetically in the center of a brightly lit room. There is an audience sitting in the background watching and clapping.
A group of people are dancing energetically in a studio with bright stage lights. The room has a fun and lively atmosphere.