Founded in New York City in 2000, Teaching Artist Project (TAP) has trained over 900 artists through our 8-month Signature Program, Summer Institute, Teaching Artist Institute of Rochester and custom trainings. Teaching Artist Project (TAP) is a comprehensive training and internship program for working artists who desire to incorporate social justice and social emotional learning into their teaching practice. We are a program of Community-Word Project, based in New York City. Our workshops cover a multitude of topics relating to social justice and education, including Community Building, Curriculum Design, TA as Entrepreneur, and Creating Classroom Culture.Our core theme for this year is Intentional Collaboration because we know when we come together we can go farther than when we go alone. 

For 2024, the theme for TAP?s annual competition among our alumni artists was Intentional Collaboration, one of our core values for all Community-Word Project programs. The design we thought best articulated this was from Quest Nine (Kori ?Q? Thomas), who completed TAP in Spring 2022.

Quest Nine is a multidisciplinary artist, muralist, arts program facilitator, and activist dedicated to harnessing the transformative power of art. As an advocate of mental health awareness, she created a program while in the Teaching Artist Project called Vibrant Minds; Creating Identity which explores the power of self expression through various art modalities and how it helps to improve mental health and an individual and on a larger scale through community projects, murals, and public art. Through vibrant, large-scale murals and intimate, thought-provoking pieces, Quest Nine explores themes of social justice, community empowerment, and personal identity. With a passion for sparking meaningful conversations and inspiring collective action, Quest Nine's work embodies the intersection of art, activism, and hope.

The art piece used for the new merchandise was originally envisioned as a vibrant mural, celebrating the unity and strength of community collaboration, aptly titled "Together We Rise" This large-scale work features an array of hands in a spectrum of colors, symbolizing the rich diversity of the country's inhabitants. Each hand, reaching together and upwards, with a sun rising through their palms, this symbolism conveys the message that when we come together, we can create a radiant impact on our surroundings and foster meaningful change. Through its intentional representation of collaboration, the mural inspires viewers to recognize the strength found in unity, encouraging them to embrace their power as a collective force for positive transformation. This artwork stands as a beacon of hope and resilience in our current climate, inviting all members of the community to join hands and uplift one another in the pursuit of a brighter, more inclusive future.

Follow Quest Nine's journey on her website, https://www.questnine.co/