Tate Teens

A service strategy that redefines how the next generation experiences & belongs in art spaces.

ROLE
Service Designer

SKILLS
User Research, Concept Development, Service Roadmapping, Stakeholder Co-creation

TIMELINE
Oct 2024 -> Feb 2025

TEAM
Maria Luisa Castro, Keiji Ichijo
Jessica Wonomihardjo, Yi-Hsuan Wu

Redefining how Tate nurtures creative confidence and lifelong engagement among teens.

Tate Teens investigates how Tate can better serve and sustain relationships with 13–17-year-olds, a group often underserved in traditional museum programming. The project establishes a service pathway that strengthens access, participation, and creative development, supporting long-term cultural engagement for future generations.

Background & Context

Understanding Why Art Feels Out of Reach

Teenagers are some of the most curious and creative individuals, yet they often feel disconnected from art institutions. For many, museums can seem too formal, academic, or reserved for others, making it hard to find personal meaning or connection. Through interviews and surveys we uncovered three layers of barriers that shape this disconnect: practical, functional, & attitudinal.

Access alone isn’t enough. Teens need experiences that help them feel capable, curious, & creatively seen.

Archetypes

Mapping the Teenage Landscape

This research revealed patterns in how teenagers perceive, engage with, and mature through art, which we distilled into an archetype framework.

The framework captured five profiles, each representing a different relationship to art and level of creative maturity. These archetypes helped us better understand teenagers’ motivations and design engagement strategies that meet them where they are.

The Role of Intermediaries

Schools and families are the primary gateways for teenagers to access art and often the only avenue to engage with creative experiences. Yet, not all schools provide sufficient arts education, and teachers may lack the confidence or resources to inspire students. Peers also play a crucial role. When friends are involved, new experiences feel less intimidating and provide a social safety net that encourages participation. Building on these existing networks is essential for Tate to help teenagers discover art in ways that feel both approachable and authentic.

KEY CHALLENGES

01. Museums feel irrelevant & unappealing

Teenagers often see them as adult spaces rather than places of curiosity or expression.

02. Intermediaries for teens are disengaged

Access to art depends on teachers or parents, who may not fully engage with the content.

03. School visits are unstructured

Without context or facilitation, many visits feel passive and forgettable.

THEN WE REALIZED...

A Gap Within Tate's Offerings

Beyond these individual and social barriers, we identified a structural challenge within Tate’s ecosystem: a gap in programming for teenagers. Tate already serves two audiences well: children through Tate Kids and young adults through Tate Collective.

Yet between them lies an overlooked group navigating one of life’s most formative transitions. Teens aged 13–17 are defining independence and identity, but within Tate’s current offerings, they lack a clear entry point that speaks to their needs and autonomy. By strengthening partnerships with schools and supporting teachers in arts education, Tate can build a bridge between their current offerings and nurture lifelong creative engagement.

our guiding question:

How might Tate create
accessible, relevant, & inspiring experiences that empowers teenagers
to confidently engage with art
and foster their personal growth?

Our Solution Strategy

TATE TEENS

Value Proposition

Tate Teens offers a space for teenagers to explore art, express themselves, and build confidence in their own creative ways. The service bridges the playful spirit of Tate Kids with the dynamic energy of Tate Collective, meeting teens where they are and empowering them to engage with art on their own terms.

Our strategy is guided by three key principles:

01. Empowerment

Build a sense of agency, self-confidence, and ownership in teens’ artistic journeys.

02. Enablement

Facilitate skill-building, knowledge-sharing, and opportunities for meaningful engagement.

03. Equipment

Provide the tools, spaces, and resources that support ongoing artistic exploration and growth.s rather than places of curiosity or expression.

A Teen-Led Ecosystem

At the heart of Tate Teens is a teen-led ecosystem.This system recognizes teenagers not as passive participants, but as active contributors shaping their own cultural experience. This ecosystem fosters shared ownership, collaboration, and a continuous exchange of learning and inspiration.

The Phased Roadmap

Building on this ecosystem, our strategy unfolds through a phased roadmap that aligns with Tate’s pre-visit, visit, and post-visit journey. Each stage — Now, Near, and Future — strengthens engagement at different moments in a teenager’s development, guiding them from first contact to lifelong connection with art.

Bringing the Strategy to Life

Now: Communication & Language

Establishing direct communication with teenagers begins with authenticity. By using clear, relatable language and meeting teens on the platforms they already inhabit, Tate can build genuine connection and relevance.

Near: Enhanging the School Visit Program

School visits are often a teenager’s first encounter with Tate — but without context, they can feel passive or disconnected. This phase focuses on equipping teachers with creative toolkits and guided resources to make visits more interactive, reflective, and empowering.

Future: Autonomous Engagement by Teens

The final phase encourages teenagers to see Tate as a place they can return to on their own terms. This stage fosters autonomy and belonging by turning Tate into a space for exploration, expression, and community.

Concepts & Design Explorations

Translating the roadmap into tangible ideas and playful experiences across touchpoints.

TATE TEENS GUIDEBOOK: A playful, accessible guide designed to make museum visits feel exciting and approachable.

TATE TEENS GUIDEBOOK: Reimagining physical space at Tate to be inclusive, youth-friendly, and supportive of creative exploration.

PERSONALIZED 3D ONLINE GALLERY: A digital experience that lets teens design avatars and curate their own virtual galleries using artworks from Tate’s collection, building confidence in creative decision-making and storytelling.

TATE COLLAGES: An interactive digital activity where teens remix elements from Tate’s collection to create their own collages. This encourages personal interpretation, creativity, and self-expression through art.

A HOLISTIC STUDENT VISIT: Bringing together learning, play, and reflection to create meaningful, lasting connections between teens and art.