Emerging Designers

DESIGN HIVE

Design Hive is a paid, youth-led initiative at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. High school juniors and seniors dive deep into design objects and processes to develop their own collaborative projects. Along the way, they will learn how designers move from an initial idea to final design!

In Design Hive, knowledge is co-authored. Students mentor one another and receive mentorship from working designers. They are offered unprecedented access to the museum’s exhibitions, objects, and people, and use it to design a world that is more responsible, equitable, and collaborative. 

Design Hive takes place on Thursdays from 4:30-6:30. Students must be based in the NYC area to apply. Participants must attend weekly program dates and be available to meet virtually or at Cooper Hewitt (2 E 91st St, New York, NY 10128). 

The program begins on Thursday, November 17th and ends on Thursday, May 25th. Students will receive a stipend of $2,000 for their participation, paid in two $1,000 payments throughout the program.

Applications for the 2022-2023 Design Hive cohort have closed. Applications for 2023-2024 will open in Fall 2023.

Watch our Design Hive Q + A session to learn more about the program and how to apply. 

 Questions? Please email mcnallyk@si.edu 

Design Hive is made possible with major support from Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, The Richard and Jean Coyne Family Foundation, and The Pinkerton Foundation. Generous support is also provided by Adobe and The Hirsch Family Foundation. 

Design PRACTICE

Build your design toolkit! Design Practice is a series of free, hands-on workshops exploring techniques, strategies, and careers in design. No prior experience required—just bring yourself, a friend, and a creative mindset.

This is a monthly series that runs from April through June 2023. Participants are not required to participate in all workshops. Snacks will be available.

Recommended for ages 14-18. 

Design Practice is made possible with major support from Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, The Richard and Jean Coyne Family Foundation, and The Pinkerton Foundation. Generous support is also provided by Adobe and The Hirsch Family Foundation. 

DESIGN CAREER FAIR

Each October, Cooper Hewitt hosts a virtual Design Career Fair series as part of our National Design Week celebration. Teens are invited to talk with top designers working in the fields of fashion, product design, architecture, graphic design, and more! Participants are encouraged to explore design careers, discover career paths, learn the complexities of what designers do, and find out what designers love about their jobs. Design colleges from across the country are also available to answer questions.

Past designers have included Tim Gunn, Cynthia Rowley, Isabel and Ruben Toledo, and designers from Facebook, Ann Taylor Loft, Kenneth Cole, Heath Ceramics, Milton Glaser, Smart Design, Pentagram, Rocawear, and Herman Miller.

Past design colleges have included Parsons, SVA, RISD, SAIC, CalArt, FIT, and Pratt.

Details for this event will be announced here.

National High School Design Competition

Taking place annually, the National High School Design Competition invites students to design a solution to a real-world challenge. Learn more.