Materials for the Arts Launches Application Period For Young Designers

Materials for the Arts (MFTA), a program of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, has launched the application period for its second cohort of the Young Designers program. Presented in partnership with BK Style Foundation, the Young Designers program supports talented designers between the ages 18 to 25 by providing unlimited access to MFTA supplies while they create unique designs in their own offsite studios and workspaces. Additionally, MFTA’s Young Designers program offers a stipend, immersive workshops, mentorship, factory tours, a professional photoshoot, and the opportunity to showcase a collection with BK Style Foundation’s Fashion Week Brooklyn later this year.

“With 111,000 jobs across tens of thousands of businesses, New York City’s fashion industry is a global powerhouse. The Young Designers program is helping more New Yorkers launch a good-paying career in this dynamic field, giving them the materials and support they need to get started,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “We are excited to see the ambitious, innovative designs that come out of this year’s program and help create the next Ralph Lauren or Vera Wang.”

“As we celebrate Jobs Week and the Adams administration's record-breaking job growth in New York City, we're excited to announce the open call for MFTA’s Young Designers program. The creative sector is a signature industry in our city, and this initiative is one way we are making sure that young people from all backgrounds have opportunities to work in this exciting arena,” said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. “By expanding young people’s access to work experiences in cultural community, we’re helping them hit the ground running and shape a brighter future for themselves and the city.”

“MFTA is committed to offering young designers the opportunity to access the full range of resources we have for fashion designers,” said MFTA Executive Director Tara Sansone. “While there are many grants and residencies available for artists in New York City, we recognize that opportunities for emerging fashion designers can be limited, especially outside of academic settings. Our goal is to support these designers, helping them contribute to the vibrant, dynamic cultural scene that makes New York City unique.”

“BK Style Foundation is proud to partner with MFTA to offer this exciting workforce development program for emerging designers. We’re looking forward to showcasing the works of the 2025 cohort at BK Style’s Fashion Week Brooklyn, our flagship event that consistently highlights groundbreaking designs,” said BK Style Foundation Executive Director Rick Davy. “Our collaboration with MFTA’s Young Designers program is one of the most sustainable projects we are associated with for building a cleaner, greener city.”

Launched in 2024, the Young Designers program equips emerging talent with valuable career training, emphasizing sustainability in fashion. Participants gain unlimited access to MFTA’s 35,000 square-foot warehouse of donated supplies in Long Island City Queens, where they can use fabrics, buttons, beads, and trim donated by local businesses and high-end designers, as well as more unique MFTA finds like vintage microfilm, leather from Southwest Airlines, movie and television props, electronics, and craft materials.

The Young Designers program culminates with the opportunity to showcase the sustainable collection made with MFTA supplies at BK Style Foundation’s Fashion Week Brooklyn. MFTA’s Young Designers program also provides a $500 stipend to participants supported by MFTA’s non-profit partner, Friends of Materials for the Arts. Interested applicants must complete the application by Monday, February 24.

MFTA’s Young Designers program was established in 2024, building on MFTA’s Designers-in-Residence program, which provides early-career fashion designers with free studio space, materials, funding, and other career support. Young Designers’ mentorship opportunities include studio tours with MFTA’s current Designer-in-Residence, Daveed Baptiste.