Events › ARTrepreneurs

Crafty, artsy, and creative teens looking to start their own small business: we have the camp for you!

Join TeenHQ to bring your business from idea to sales in less than 3 months this June - August, 2026. This intensive program will walk you through business fundamentals, pitching, target audience, cost, supply, basic branding and marketing, and sales.

Participants will participate in program days in late June and July, have access to the TeenHQ MakerSpace to work on and create their product or service, and sell their product or service at the ARTrepreneur: Teen Craft Fair on Saturday, August 22, 2026, during the TeenHQ Turns 10 Celebration.

Schedule

• Program Days: Wednesday Evenings, June 24 - July 29, 6-7:45PM

• MakerSpace Days will be some Wednesdays and Saturdays and are optional but highly encouraged.
  • Saturday, August 1, 2-4PM
  • Wednesday, August 5, 6-7:45PM
  • Saturday, August 8, 2-3PM
  • Wednesday, August 19, 6-7:45PM

• ARTrepreneur: Teen Craft Fair: Saturday, August 22, 1-4PM, at the TeenHQ Reading Room.

Requirements To Participate

• Be a rising high school student, attending high school the academic fall.
• Be able to attend required in-person, Wednesday evenings, in June and July at the downtown Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.
• Be able to attend the Craft Fair, Saturday, August 22 at the Dr. King Jr. Library’s TeenHQ.
• Willing and able to work on product/service development and assignments outside of program days.
• Willing and able to work in groups, create presentations, express ideas, and present ideas.
• Willing and able to work hard to make your business the best it can be.
• Familiarity with Google Drive is recommended but not required.
• Pre-registration is required.

Perks

• Each business will receive $75 in seed funding to use for specific aspects of their business.
• Access to TeenHQ’s MakerSpace Resources: Sewing Machines, Green Screen, Photography Studio, 3D Printer, GlowForge, Poster Printer, Button Press, and more on sign-up days.

How To Register

• Talk with your adult caregivers to make sure you can attend all Wednesday program sessions.
• Register for the Program using this form.
• Wait for email confirmation of your registration. 
• Registration opens on Friday, May 1st at 9AM and closes on Saturday, June 20th at 12PM.

Fine Print

• The camp is limited to 15 attendees. A waitlist will be created as needed.
• If you have already received seed funding twice before, you are no longer able to register, but you’re always welcome to the Craft Fairs.
• You must attend the first program day to guarantee a spot in the camp. If you are unable to attend, your space may be given to a waitlisted individual. First day of camp is crucial (as are all other program days).
• Parents are included in major communication, but it is expected that the teen ARTrepreneur be the primary participant in this program and all communication should come from the teen.
• Since a majority of our meetings are less than two hours, it is very important that ARTreprenenurs are on-time to meetings.
• Timeline and deadlines are crucial to success in ARTrepreneurs. Waiting to the last minute to submit necessary materials can cause individuals to miss out on key aspects of the program.
• Learn more about the ARTrepreneur program in our upcoming blog.

Funding provided by the San José Public Library.

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