“For Teens by Teens”: A Conversation with Teen Arts Council Co-Lead Elise Kohli

When considering how to make people of all ages feel included at a cultural destination like the NCMA, it’s important to invite multigenerational perspectives into the conversation. In 2010 this line of thinking inspired the creation of the Teen Arts Council (TAC), a group of art-interested students responsible for the planning, promotion, and facilitation of activities and gallery experiences for teen audiences at the Museum. Fifteen years later, TAC is still going strong, welcoming a broad range of young voices into the NCMA with recurring events like Teen Days, Teen Nights, Teens Sketch the Galleries, and more. In an interview in early October, TAC Co-Lead Elise Kohli shared about her experience as a member of the group, the current council’s guiding principles, and the care that goes into the planning and execution of council programs.

Kohli perceives her decision to dedicate three years of service to TAC as “a natural progression” of her relationship with the Museum. “Growing up, the NCMA was my family’s go-to spot whenever we had a free afternoon,” she said. Visions of her father expounding on the loveliness of Monet’s The Seine at Giverny, Morning Mists shimmer in her memory, activating her passion to cultivate similarly significant moments for others. When she entered high school and began to immerse herself in local art communities, Kohli discovered TAC and saw it as an effective way give back to a place that had provided “so much” to her and her loved ones.

Kohli locates the effectiveness of TAC’s organizing efforts in its keen understanding of its target demographic. “We have unique insight into and connections within teen communities, so we try to take advantage of that,” she said. She also sees TAC as a key player when subverting teen audiences’ expectations of more traditional art institutions. “Museums are intimidating for adults,” she said, “let alone teens who aren’t often considered in the museum world or are made to feel insecure about their lack of knowledge regarding fine art.” Teen Days—consisting of art-making activities and performances centered around special exhibitions—embody TAC’s aim to break down these age-related barriers, facilitating accessible encounters between teens and the themes and narratives presented in the NCMA’s galleries.

The most recent Teen Day’s festivities were inspired by the Museum’s latest exhibition, The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt, on view through March 8. Specifically, the subject of “storytelling” took center stage with attempts to “include viewers in the story,” according to Kohli. Attendees were invited to “pose as Queen Esther” in a “Polaroid photo booth,” she said, and “represent Esther in their own lives” through illustration. During the event Kohli was in the exhibition space leading young artists in art exercises, including “blind contour drawing” and studies of “dramatic lighting.” Imagining a scenario in which teens are learning from their peers clarifies how the value of these events extends beyond the context of the NCMA. Not only are participants invited to see the artwork on the walls as reflections of shared human experiences, but they are also encouraged to remain open to the diverse outlooks of their fellow community members.

To better understand the aspects of The Book of Esther that interested teen audiences most, I asked Kohli about her favorite artwork included in the exhibition. She singled out a portrait of Esther and Mordecai by Hendrick van Steenwijk included in the “Living with the Story of Esther” section of the gallery. The details of the painting’s atmosphere captured her attention. “The cracked tiles,” she said, “the tense conversation, the way the hall continues for what looks like forever—all these bits and pieces came together to tell a story.” When viewed in comparison to most other scenes on display in the exhibition, Van Steenwijk’s work comes across as simultaneously subdued and intimate. It’s magnificence, Kohli said, is revealed when one takes the time to look closely, demonstrating the “value of patience when we interact with art.”

If you missed The Book of Esther Teen Day, there are plenty of other TAC-organized events on the horizon. In addition to the upcoming Winter Wonderland Teen Day on December 6, council members are collaborating with the NCMA’s interpretation team on a project designed for all audiences, coinciding with an exhibition in 2026. “All in all,” Kohli concluded, “the Teen Art’s Council is on the rise this year, so look forward to more work done for teens by teens!”