1001 Colors Youth Apprentice Program Kicks Off 30th Season

Summer number 30 of the 1001 Colors Youth Apprentice program is officially in session!

This milestone season brings together more than 100 young people, ages 14–21, who will spend the summer working alongside professional artists to create bold, meaningful, and world-class work across Cincinnati and beyond. From large-scale murals and sculpture to graphic design, filmmaking, and community-rooted projects, Youth Apprentices will gain hands-on experience while contributing to public art that reflects the stories and values of our region.

This year’s program includes a dynamic mix of projects, 12 in total, including a new landmark mural at the Cincinnati Public Radio building in Evanston and the ambitious America 250 Tuskegee Airmen mural series, which will be installed in cities across Ohio.

For 30 summers, 1001 Colors has empowered young people to develop artistic skills, build confidence, and contribute meaningfully to their communities. This year’s cohort continues that legacy, transforming Cincinnati’s spaces while shaping their own futures as artists, leaders, and changemakers.

We invite the community to follow along, visit the works in progress, and celebrate the next generation of creative talent in action.

1001 Colors extends a special thank you to the Art Academy of Cincinnati for hosting this year’s Youth Apprentice Program opening orientation sessions. Their support in welcoming and preparing our apprentices helps set the tone for a strong and inspiring start to the summer.

2026 Project Highlights

Frank Herrmann Legacy Mural
This deeply meaningful project honors the life and legacy of Frank Herrmann, beloved artist, educator, and mentor. Designed by Herrmann himself and realized through a multigenerational collaboration, the mural will cover all four sides of his personal studio. The work stands as both a public monument and a living classroom, celebrating the power of mentorship, artistic discipline, and creative inquiry.

Better Business Bureau Centennial Mural
Created in celebration of BBB’s 100th anniversary, this mural will honor a century of Cincinnati businesses built on trust and integrity. Apprentices will paint the work in an indoor studio before it is installed in the historic Fourth Street district downtown.

Cincinnati Public Radio Mural
In partnership with Cincinnati Public Radio, this mural explores the First Amendment, with an emphasis on freedom of the press and its role in a thriving democracy. Timed with the opening of CPR’s new building, the mural will serve as a vibrant symbol of community-centered storytelling and civic engagement.

Paycor Rooted Connection Mural
1001 Colors is proud to produce a new mural in partnership with Paycor titled Rooted Connection. Inspired by natural systems, including root networks and mycelium, the mural explores how growth and leadership emerge through connection.

The artwork visualizes leadership as something that begins within but flourishes through relationships, communication, and shared purpose. Flowing lines and organic forms represent invisible systems that link individuals and ideas into a living network. The mural reminds us that leadership is cultivated through trust, collaboration, and the strength of community.

Heilbrun and Leahr Mural, America 250
This mural highlights the story of Cincinnatians John Leahr and Herb Heilbrun, honoring the friendship between Leahr, a Black World War II pilot and Tuskegee Airman, and Heilbrun, a white World War II pilot.

Funded through America 250, the project shares this important and often untold story, serving as a tribute to friendship, resilience, and shared history while fostering a sense of pride and unity within the community.

Tuskegee Airmen Mural Series (America 250)
This ambitious series will produce 13 portrait murals honoring Tuskegee Airmen from Ohio. Painted on 4-foot by 4-foot panels, these works will be installed in multiple cities including Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Toledo, creating a statewide tribute to legacy, service, and representation.

2025 Annual Report Design
At 1001 Colors’ Walnut Hills headquarter, Youth Apprentices will collaborate with designer and educator Kate Tepe to create the 2025 Impact Report, honing their graphic design skills while shaping how the organization shares its story with the community.

Mt. Healthy Traditional Sign Painting
Apprentices will learn the craft of hand-painted signage, working under a professional sign painter to create storefront signs that support Mt. Healthy’s historic business district revitalization.

SRO Screen Printing Apprenticeship
In Lincoln Heights, Apprentices will gain hands-on experience in screen printing, working with SRO Prints to support real client orders and develop production skills.

Playhouse in the Park Summer Camp
In a first-time partnership, Apprentices will support Playhouse in the Park’s summer programming by designing sets, creating props, and engaging with young campers through arts education.

Youth Cartography: Mapping Safe Spaces
In partnership with The Well, this project invites youth to redefine mapping through a community centered lens. Focused on Walnut Hills, Over the Rhine, and Downtown, Apprentices will explore how young people experience safety, belonging, and connection.

Led by Teaching Artist Elan Schwartz, participants will identify Youth Approved Spaces through research, creative practice, and community exploration. The project will result in a new model for youth led mapping that informs more inclusive community planning.

Time Is a Circle – Film Project (FotoFocus Biennial)
In partnership with The Well, this project will produce a multi channel film exhibition for the 2026 FotoFocus Biennial. Under the mentorship of filmmaker Andrea Sisson, Apprentices will create three original short films.

Inspired by Einstein’s Dreams and the theme The Long View, the work explores time as both linear and cyclical, engaging identity, memory, and wellbeing. Apprentices will collaborate across film, animation, collage, dance, poetry, and visual art, participating in every stage from concept development through exhibition in The Well’s Walnut Hills space.