Family Program | SCREENPRINT YOUR OWN BANd t-shirt

Drop in to the museum on the second Saturday of each month for hands-on family activities!  

In March, get creative together and make a custom band t‑shirt with Bushwick Print Lab. Families will learn the basics of screen printing—from sketching and cutting a paper stencil to pulling colorful ink across a screen with a squeegee.

Exhibition Exploration

  • Explore the exhibition Art of Noise and check out iconic folk, rock, punk, and hip-hop concert posters and album covers with a kids’ scavenger hunt.

Design Activity

  • See how graphic design brings music to life and create a t-shirt that celebrates your favorite pop star or invent a logo for your very own family band.
  • Design a paper stencil and screenprint it yourself.
  • No experience necessary; space is limited, one shirt per person . First come, first served.

Access Hour (11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon)

  • The first hour of family drop-ins is generally quieter and less crowded.
  • Additional staff experienced in conducting accessible workshops will be present during this hour. Families will have access to sensory supports and adaptive materials. We’d love for you to join us for some structured fun!

Family drop-in activities are designed for youth ages 5–12 and their adult guardian/caregivers. Family programs are included in the price of museum admission, and youth 18 and under are always free.

ABOUT BUSHWICK PRINT LAB

Bushwick Print Lab, founded by Ray Cross in 2009, is an artist-run silkscreen production studio specializing in hand-printed fine art, editions on paper, canvas, textiles / apparel / totes, zines, invitations, packaging, and custom materials. Bushwick Print Lab hosts in-house, individual or group DIY workshops and offers live screen printing activations off-site. Bushwick Print Lab also offers film positive printing and screen processing services for artists, designers, and creatives working in their own studios in NYC and beyond.

ACCESSIBILITY & WHAT TO EXPECT

  • Format: This is a drop-in style workshop for youth ages 5-12 and their adult guardian/family. You will be guided by staff from Bushwick Print Lab and museum educators who will help you to make a design. You can drop in at any time and stay as long as you like. All materials will be provided. Adults must stay with their youth during the activity and are encouraged to participate. Registration is not required, but first come, first seated.
  • About the space: This program will take place in Cooper Hewitt’s Lecture Room on the ground floor of the museum. It is fully wheelchair accessible. There will be group seating at tables. There is an accessible restroom on the ground floor. The story time with take place in the third floor galleries. Read more about accessibility at Cooper Hewitt.
  • Accommodations: We welcome questions and accommodation requests that support your participation. Email us at CHEducation@si.edu or call 212 849-8353. Please make your request as far in advance as possible—preferably at least ten days before the program date.

Special Thanks

Design learning at Cooper Hewitt is made possible by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Generous support is also provided by the Smithsonian Institution’s Together We Thrive Initiatives, the Richard and Jean Coyne Family Foundation, and the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation.

Art of Noise is made possible by the August Heckscher Exhibition Fund, the Ehrenkranz Fund, the Barbara and Morton Mandel Design Gallery Endowment Fund, the Fisher Arts Impact Fund, and Jonathan Schroeder and Janet Borgerson. 

Fisher Arts Impact Fund logo with Smithsonian logo at the bottom.