Next Up is a youth-focused, creative place-keeping, and workforce development program that teams young artists (16-21) with experienced, professional artists in a co-leadership, mentor-apprentice relationship. As an effort of Creative Greensboro, this program continues to center community voices, especially young voices, to bring arts experiences and beautification projects close to home in Greensboro neighborhoods.

The program goals are for youth artists to:

• Express themselves positively and constructively through the arts
• Have real-life, experiential training in creative entrepreneurship

Each artist team will create a community-informed digital design for production and installation into a Greensboro bus shelter. Each team is partnered with a public elementary school art teacher and principal to help support their community engagement during the design process.

The youth apprentice artist will present the team's design to the Neighborhood Arts: Next Up stakeholder committee, which is comprised of residents of Dudley Heights, Glenwood, and Kings Forest, as well as a Cultural Affairs Commission member, a local artist, and a representative of the Greensboro Transportation Authority (GTA). 

Next Up Mentor + Apprentice Artist Teams

Raegan Kelly (apprentice) and James Raleigh, Jr (mentor) are creating a design for a bus shelter in Dudley Heights. Raleigh is the owner of Victorious Visions Art and Apparel. A Greensboro native, he has painted more than 30 school-based murals, was lead artist for the mural at Peeler Recreation Center, and was a 2024 recipient of the Arts Legacy Award from Juneteenth GSO. He has a BA in art and design from North Carolina A&T State University. Raegan Kelly is a student at UNC-Greensboro in studio art. "Being involved in my community is very important to me; so is art and design," Kelly said. "Being able to combine these two passions of mine would be a truly lovely experience." Raegan volunteers at Peacehaven Community Farm, and has been a visual artist for Art for All: Bridging the Gap for Accessibility in the Arts. She is also a graduate of Dudley High School.

Lily Oatis (apprentice) and Gabrielle Edwards (mentor) will create a design for a bus shelter in Glenwood. Edwards was born in Greensboro and has a BFA in drawing and printmaking, and an MFA in art and design. Her skill set includes drawing, mixed media, oil painting, 3D modeling, and lighting design. She is also a 2025 Downtown Arts kiosk program artist. Lily Oatis is a digital artist, youth mentor, podcast host and aspiring journalist. "I am passionate about creating art that reflects the experiences of young people and uplifts the voices of my community," Oatis said. "Over the past year, I have worked as a program manager for the T.E.A. Time Girls Mentoring program. This experience has strengthened my leadership skills and deepened my interest in using the arts as a tool for engagement and empowerment."

Emilio Marz (mentor) and Zion Jones (apprentice) will design art for a bus shelter in the Kings Forest neighborhood. Marz has an associate's degree in design from Forsyth Tech and 16 years experience as a painter and graphic designer. He created the "Pieces of Now" mural at the Greensboro History Museum in 2020 and the basketball court mural at Random Woods Park. Zion Jones, a student at Weaver Academy for the Performing and Visual Arts, is an award-winning artist and entrepreneur who has participated in 12 exhibitions. In 2024, she won the Guilford County School Superintendent's Choice Award in Digital Art. "As a young business owner, nothing brings me more joy than interacting and connecting with my community through my work," Jones said. "Every time I sell my art, I'm met with so much love and support. It's a feeling that never gets old and constantly inspires me."

Neighborhood Arts supports artists and residents as co-leaders to connect communities with creativity. The program brings creative experiences close to home through arts activities and beautification projects that respond to neighborhood priorities. The program is anchored in five communities of the Housing GSO Plan: Dudley Heights, Glenwood, Kings Forest, Mill District, and Random Woods, and is expanding to include additional areas of revitalization and investment around Greensboro.