FotoFocus Youth Film Opening + Youth Cartography Celebration
Presented by The Well, 1001 Colors, and FotoFocus
Thursday, October 1, 2026
5:00 PM - 8:00 PM EST
The Well
2454 Gilbert Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45206
Join us for an evening celebrating the creativity, vision, and leadership of young artists as we showcase the 2026 True Body Summer Apprentice Projects created in partnership with The Well.
This special event features the premiere of Time Is a Circle, a youth-produced film exhibition developed for the 2026 FotoFocus Biennial, alongside the public unveiling of the Youth Cartography project, a youth-led mapping initiative exploring what safety, belonging, and connection look like through the eyes of young people.
Together, these projects highlight the power of youth voices to shape how we understand our communities, our histories, and our future.
Featured Project: Time Is a Circle
Created under the mentorship of filmmaker Andrea Sisson, Time Is a Circle is a collection of original short films exploring identity, memory, wellbeing, and the nature of time. Inspired by Einstein's Dreams and the FotoFocus Biennial theme, The Long View, apprentices worked across film, animation, poetry, dance, collage, and visual art to create works that challenge conventional ideas about past, present, and future.
The evening will include a public screening and celebration of the apprentices' work.
Featured Project: Youth Cartography project
Led by teaching artist Elan Schwartz, the Youth Cartography project invites young people to become cartographers of their own experiences.
Through community research, creative exploration, and storytelling, apprentices mapped the spaces where youth feel safe, welcomed, and connected throughout Walnut Hills, Over-the-Rhine, and Downtown Cincinnati. The project combines social research, artwork, stories, poetry, and digital mapping to create a new model for youth-centered community planning.
Guests will have the opportunity to experience the work and learn how young people are redefining what it means to belong.
About True Body
Now in its 21st year, The Well's True Body program empowers young people to explore identity, wellbeing, creativity, and community through meaningful artistic and personal development experiences.
The 2026 Summer Apprentice Projects reflect the program's commitment to centering youth voices, fostering creative excellence, and building stronger, more connected communities.
Event Details
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: The Well, Walnut Hills
Register
Join us as we celebrate a new generation of artists, storytellers, and changemakers whose work reminds us that the future is already taking shape in the imagination and leadership of young people.
Details
Date:
October 01, 2026
Time:
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm