By teens and for teens, the Teen Art Café launch on Saturday night drew 70 young people for an evening of music, socializing, games and art.
Held at the Just Imagine Creative Center, the café will be held the first Saturday night of the month all year, continuing indefinitely as long as there is interest. Opening up both floors of the 14th Street location, the event featured performances by local bands and musicians, chess, pizza and other snacks plus supplies for making art, such as collages. A cover charge of $7 helped defray expenses.
An inviting hang out framed the informal agenda as kids sipped soft drinks and talked during musical lulls.
"It's like you come here and you're bound to run into someone you know,” said Bekah Wineman, a junior at Traverse City West Senior High School invited by a friend who was performing. "I guess as long as you're not a jerk, you'll have a fun time.”
Future activities, the format and even the name of the Teen Art Café is up for grabs and ideas were solicited Saturday night for future dates. This openness reflects the underlying mission of the café: to be a gathering place for young people that they create for themselves.
"I like it that they're going to let us decide what we want,” Wineman added.
In a town with only a handful of hang outs for young people, such as Jacob's Well or downtown, the Teen Art Café adds a vibrant option beyond the mall or a movie.
"The goal is to provide a space for young adults to find their hidden talents and powers and try to empower the youth to figure out what their passion is,” said Tara Carroll, an art therapist and counselor with a practice located at the Just Imagine Creative Center. "They need a voice.”
With plans for a teen advisory board, the cafe concept will evolve as more input is received.
"We found a need and now we're on it,” Carroll added. "It's not always up to the public schools — it's up to the community.”
In addition to the activities, the Teen Art Café's eclectic atmosphere got a thumbs up from attendees.
"I really like it here, all the murals and lights, it's really cool,” said Wineman.
Six individuals or bands had been lined up to perform everything from metal to acoustic to post-rock instrumental. Performers included Kelsey Carbonell, Sing Body Electric, Andrew Sturtz, Erik Wilson, John Wolf and Supremacy, with each slated for a 30-minute set during the three-hour event.
"This has a really good feel to it,” said Sturtz, a senior at West High School, who spoke highly of the interior lighting.
Two volunteer have been helping Carroll get the café rolling: Erik Wilson and Liam Bernhard, both juniors at West High School. Previously, a party for members of West's choirs before the holidays introduced the students to the renovated former church — and they liked what they saw.
Wilson and Bernhard helped line up the bands for the first Teen Art Café, tapping friends from school. The roster Saturday night included musicians who played regularly at informal monthly get-togethers known as Rockfire. These kid-driven gatherings changed located each month — usually from one participant's home to another — and during the summer drew a high of 150-200 kids each time, Wilson noted.
"I think it's sweet, it will be cool,” said Wilson of the café. "Generally, this is a place kids can go and know it's a safe place. Kids like the fact that we have control.”
For more information on the Teen Art Café, e-mail tara@justimaginecahc.com.