"Where art and teen life come together"

Totally Cool, Totally Art (TCTA) offers free community based arts education for teenagers who may not otherwise have such opportunities. TCTA promotes a philosophy centered on the benefits of arts education for teens and is much more than just an arts and crafts program. TCTA has taught media such as blacksmithing, computer animation, filmmaking, printmaking, installation, conceptual art, portraiture and urban painting.

TCTA is funded by the Austin City Council's Social Fabric Initiative, an effort to deal with teen issues in the city. TCTA is an Austin Parks and Recreation Department program and a partnership between the Community Recreation Centers and the Dougherty Arts Center. Since October 1996, thousands of teens have taken part in this unique art experience with many repeating each year. During each program year, teens take visual arts classes twice a week at various community recreation centers.