Ivy Tech Indianapolis once again partnered with Arts for Learning Indiana to host ARTFORCE, a dynamic three-week arts intensive visual arts program designed for high school students exploring creative careers. The 2025 program brought together 12 talented young artists for an immersive experience, culminating in a pop-up exhibition and zine shop at The AMP at 16 Tech.
"We developed a curriculum that emulated experiences students are likely to have in their first year of college at Ivy Tech and as creative entrepreneurs," said Colton Pedro, a fine arts instructor at Ivy Tech Indianapolis, describing the program he co-taught with Ash Robinson.
Each summer, Ivy Tech assigns a faculty member to co-teach the ARTFORCE program alongside a teaching artist from Arts for Learning. Pedro returned for his second year as instructor, working with Robinson to guide the 2025 cohort. Their curriculum focused on building students' technical and writing skills while introducing them to the business aspects of creative careers. Participants also gained hands-on experience planning and installing their own exhibition. Like many artist residencies, the program included a stipend for students upon completion.
Students engaged in three major projects:
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Autobiographical Zines – Each student created a short, self-published zine exploring their personal identity.
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Collaborative Installation – Centered on the theme of "Visibility," students designed individual 2’x4’ panels that came together as a large-scale, unified piece.
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"What If...?" Zine – A group project where students visually answered open-ended creative prompts.
The program also included field trips to local arts organizations, portfolio-building workshops, and insights from guest artists—including Gary Gee, an Ivy Tech Fine Arts alum and Arts for Learning instructor.
For the first time, ARTFORCE took over a storefront at The AMP at 16 Tech, transforming the space into a pop-up gallery and zine shop. The exhibition showcased the students’ installation and zines, with all sales going directly to the young artists.
“ARTFORCE is really a one-of-a-kind program here in Indianapolis,” Pedro said.
To learn more about ARTFORCE—or how to get involved next summer—visit artsforlearningindiana.org/artforce. If you're interested in taking Ivy Tech fine arts classes, visit the program page.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
