Art in the Garden is an LGBTQ+ led, liberatory, joy-centered program that began over a decade ago at Borland Garden in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We use arts, ecology, and mindfulness as vehicles to address the impacts of childhood adversity and trauma. Participants strengthen their abilities to see themselves as creators of positive change for themselves, others, and the planet. All are welcome! / Art in the Garden es un programa liberador, centrado en la alegría, liderado por LGBTQ+ que comenzó hace más de una década en Borland Garden en Pittsburgh, Pensilvania. Utilizamos las artes, la ecología y la atención plena como vehículos para abordar los impactos de la adversidad y el trauma infantil. Los participantes fortalecen sus habilidades para verse a sí mismos como creadores de cambios positivos para ellos mismos, los demás y el planeta. ¡Todos son bienvenidos!
Unless otherwise noted, all programs are held at Borland Garden in East Liberty @ 527 North Beatty Street. Many of our programs are offered in Spanish and English. / A menos que se indique lo contrario, todos los programas se llevan a cabo en Borland Garden en East Liberty @ 527 North Beatty Street. Muchos de nuestros programas se ofrecen en español e inglés.
FLOW CLUB
Fall 2025 registration HERE
- WHO: Students ages 7-15 / QUIEN: Estudiantes 7-15
- WHEN: 5 Sessions, Thursdays, 4:30-6pm, September 18, 25, October 2, 9, 16 / CUANDO: 5 sesiones, jueves, 4:30-6:00 horas, 18, 25, de septiembre, 2, 9, 16 de octubre
- TEACHERS/ MAESTRES: Jodi Iddings and Princess Gonzalez
- Max: 20 participants / Máx. 20 participantes
In Flow Club, youth have opportunities to express themselves through hula hooping, dance, art-making, and yoga and to deepen their appreciation for the outdoors. “Flow” is a way to move your body in fluidity, expressing yourself through movement without limitations. It is a way to bring you back to the center of yourself and your life. Youth are empowered to become confident leaders and to experience themselves as creators of positive change, gaining life skills that carry them far beyond their teen years. Flow Club is offered in Spanish and English.
En Flow Club, los adolescentes tienen oportunidades de expresarse a través del hula-hoop, el baile y el yoga y de profundizar su aprecio por el aire libre. “Flow” es una forma de mover tu cuerpo con fluidez, expresándote a través del movimiento sin limitaciones. Es una forma de devolverte al centro de ti mismo y de tu vida. Los adolescentes están capacitados para convertirse en líderes seguros y sentirse a sí mismos como creadores de cambios positivos, adquiriendo habilidades para la vida que los llevarán mucho más allá de la adolescencia. Flow Club se ofrece en español e inglés.
Mural Arts Club
Fall 2025 registration HERE
- WHO: Students ages 7-15
- WHEN: 6 Mondays; September 29, October 6, 13, 20, 27, November 3; from 4:30-6pm
- TEACHERS: Max “Gems” Gonzales and Emily Carlson
- Max: 18 participants
In Mural Arts Club, youth have opportunities to express themselves through the art they create—in their notebooks, in the lasting mural they paint at Bruno’s Garage, and beyond. Led by Max “Gems” Gonzales , this club forges a collaborative approach to making murals and empowers students to reimagine the streets on which we walk and the world in which we live. Students will consider questions of just development, community history, and identity. This club creates space for students to challenge barriers as they create a lasting mural that fosters love and solidarity and justice.
This Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media Artist Residency Project in partnership with Art in the Garden is being led by Painter/Graphic Artist Max Gonzales. It is supported by Hemispheric Conversations: Urban Art Project (HCUAP) and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media.
Clowning Workshop
Email us at artinthegardenpgh@gmail.com if you’re interested in being a part of this in the spring of 2026 so we can be sure to get the word out to you when the date is set!
- WHO: Adults ages 18-105
- WHEN: Spring 2026
- TEACHER: Treasure Treasure
- Max. 15 participants
Clowning Workshop is held in Borland Garden and led by Treasure Treasure, a teaching artist with three decades of experience as an actor, singer, dancer, comic, and multi-instrumentalist. In this engaging workshop participants will be introduced to the art of clowning in the theater and creating brand new characters that explore the ranges of human behavior. Participants will investigate clowning techniques through games, improvisation, and exercises. This uplifting workshop centers on building confidence and joy through developing unique characters and learning how to engage an audience. At the end of the weekend, participants will showcase their work in a live performance for friends and family. All genders, identities, orientations, and experiences are celebrated here.
Graffiti Camp
- WHEN: We’re dreaming this up for summer 2026… stay tuned!
- WHO: Students ages 8-15
- Max. 18 participants
- WHERE: Outdoors in East Liberty at Borland Garden (527 North Beatty Street) and Bruno’s Garage (518 Mellon St.)
Join us for this week-long camp to learn graffiti arts skills and create a lasting mural in East Liberty. Students will consider what matters to them and envision what messages they want to spread. Questions they will consider include: How would you reimagine a blank wall? What is the city you would like to see? What does justice mean to you? Students will become adept at using spray paint and considering composition, color theory, and scale as they create a mural together. This camp fosters love, solidarity and justice and empowers students to challenge barriers and give voice to their dreams.
Horsing Around / Diversión con caballos
Summer 2025 registration closed
- WHO: Students 7-15 / QUIEN: Estudiantes 7-15
- WHEN/ CUANDO: June/Junio 16, 17, 18, 9am – 1pm
- TEACHERS/MAESTRES: Emily Carlson and Princes Gonzalez
- Max. 18 participants /Máx. 18 participantes
- Note: This is a Blackburn Farms Camp and takes place in Sewickley, PA. / Nota: Este es un campamento de Blackburn Farms y se lleva a cabo en Sewickley, PA
Join us for this three-day horse camp, run through Blackburn Farm in Sewickley Heights. You will learn what it takes to become a horse’s best friend. From bathing and grooming horses to leading horses around obstacles to equine beauty contests and horseless horse shows, campers will gain hands-on experience that will help them feel confident and comfortable with horses. Note: this is not a horseback riding camp but a camp that focuses on the relationship campers can build with horses out of the saddle. Taught in English and Spanish.
Únase a nosotros en este campamento de caballos de tres días, que recorre Blackburn Farm en Sewickley Heights. Aprenderá lo que se necesita para convertirse en el mejor amigo de un caballo. Desde bañar y cepillar caballos hasta guiarlos alrededor de obstáculos, concursos de belleza equina y espectáculos de caballos sin caballos, los campistas obtendrán experiencia práctica que los ayudará a sentirse seguros y cómodos con los caballos. Nota: este no es un campamento de equitación, sino un campamento que se centra en la relación que los campistas pueden construir con los caballos desmontados. Impartido en inglés y español.
Herbalism Camp/
Campamento de herboristería
Summer 2025 registration closed
- WHO: Students in Grades 2-6 / QUIEN: Estudiantes en los grados 2-6
- WHEN/ CUANDO: Week 1, June 23rd-27th, 9am-1pm / Week 2, June 30th – July 4th, 9am-1pm
- TEACHERS/ MAESTRES: Sten Carlson and Princes Gonzalez
- Max. 19 participants /Máx. 19 participantes
At Herbalism Camp, students have opportunities to learn how to grow and harvest herbs, make teas, concoctions, balms, and healing salves, and understand the power of plant medicine as they build deeper relationships with themselves, each other, and the earth. Campers will also learn about how plants create biodiversity and sequester carbon to help mitigate climate change, play collaborative games, and build lasting friendships. Taught in English and Spanish.
En Herbalism Camp, los estudiantes tienen la oportunidad de aprender a cultivar y cosechar hierbas, preparar tés, brebajes, bálsamos y ungüentos curativos, y comprender el poder de las plantas medicinales a medida que construyen relaciones más profundas con ellos mismos, entre sí y con la tierra. Los estudiantes también aprenderán cómo las plantas crean biodiversidad y secuestran carbono para ayudar a mitigar el cambio climático, jugarán juegos colaborativos y construirán amistades duraderas. Impartido en inglés y español.
COST: In order to promote economic justice, Art in the Garden uses a sliding scale fee. / COSTO: Para promover la justicia económica, Art in the Garden utiliza una tarifa de escala móvil. REGISTRATION: Registration for all programs is limited and, in the interest of equity, at least half of the spots are reserved for youth who identify as low-income and/or are of Black, Indigenous, and Latinx heritage. / La inscripción es limitada y, en aras de la equidad, al menos la mitad de los lugares están reservados para jóvenes que se identifican como de bajos ingresos y/o son de ascendencia negra, indígena y latina.
¿PREGUNTAS? QUESTIONS? artinthegardenpgh@gmail.com / 412.592.5711
Collaborators
Talented teaching artists and ecologists provide unique experiences for youth and families at Art in the Garden. We are a community that welcomes the whole of each person and values our interconnection. Teaching artists and ecologists empower youth and build confidence, giving youth opportunities to experience themselves as agents of positive change. Art in the Garden supports each youth’s ability to thrive and live their fullest expressions of themselves.
Pittsburgh Forest Garden led by Sten Carlson is a response to the rapid pace of global climate change and growing anxiety among youth about its effects on their future. Its purpose is to create a network of food forest school gardens to serve as outdoor classrooms where youth engage in the regenerative practices needed to help mitigate climate change. Campers learn about and contribute to the emerging field of carbon farming, improve ecosystem health, increase food security, beautify their community, and produce high yields from edible and medicinal plants. Using an ecological systems approach, youth explore how their physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being is intimately connected with their environment; youth have opportunities to act as creators and agents of ecological healing in areas about which they are most passionate, including innovative approaches to gardening/agriculture as a way of undoing harm that has led to climate change.
Bird Lab led by Nick Liadis, explores questions related to migratory songbirds whose journeys span oceans and continents every year to make Pennsylvania their home. Campers engage activities around nest building, bird song, and the role of native plants.
Sankofa Village for the Arts led by Travis Scott and Toddja Thornhill teaches campers West African drumming using sound and movement as tools for building self-esteem, self-discipline, self-determination, and self-sufficiency.
The Mural Art Project led by Max “Gems” Gonzales, Jerome “Chu” Charles, and Shane Pilster, is a collaboration with Rivers of Steel Arts (ROSA) and Hemispheric Conversations: Urban Art Project (HCUAP). Youth learn graffiti and mural arts skills while building community and are empowered to challenge barriers and give voice to their dreams. Youth have opportunities to create lasting murals that foster love and solidarity and justice.
The Andy Warhol Museum explores the migration of birds and how artists like Andy Warhol raise awareness about social issues through their art. Using Warhol’s Endangered Species series as a springboard, youth explore topics of migration, rare birds, local birds, and native vegetation. Youth make silkscreen prints on paper, pillowcases, and t-shirts and canvass bags.
Street Art DeVaughn Rodgers and Kuwame Kinsel lead our youngest campers and teen leaders in art exploration. Campers will create banners using basic techniques found in mural making and other forms of street art. Campers will learn about blends and fades and stencils and block prints in this two-session experience. This project is a collaboration with Rivers of Steel Arts (ROSA) and Hemispheric Conversations: Urban Art Project (HCUAP).
Drumming and dancing with Miguel Sague III, a professional musical and bandleader who teaches Afro-Latin Percussion and Afro-Latin Dance with the use of storytelling and audience participation. Campers learn about the Conga and its roots in Africa as well as about some of its companion instruments and their uses. Campers dance the dances, play instruments, and sing along!
Reading is FUNdamental Pittsburgh (RIF) brings stories, activities, books, and literary resources to Art in the Garden. When RIF visits, campers choose a free book to expand their home libraries.
Affirming, Strengths-Based Mental Health Support is available on site for campers and staff and includes options for individual counseling on-site with licensed social worker (LSW). Campers are supported with strategies to address anxiety and build confidence. Our counselor is also available to connect families interested in long-term counseling with therapists in the area. Our counselor’s therapeutic approach is holistic, nurturing, responsive, and curious, and she often incorporates mindfulness, movement, and art.
Earthen Vessels provides healthy, plant-based breakfast and lunch for free to every camper. Campers compost any leftovers and experience the benefits of healthy soil and growing grow food they get to enjoy!
Pittsburgh Community Science Workshop visits empower campers to grow academically, and expand their confidence, through hands-on science and creative ingenuity.
Tree Pittsburgh teaches youth about restoring and protecting the urban forest through tree planting and care, education, advocacy, and land conservation.
Art in the Garden 