ARCK Boston’s Creativity Lab is a hands-on studio where high school students use creative thinking to discover who they are, collaborate for social impact, and prepare for their futures. Through three interconnected studios—I Am, You Are, We Are—students collaboratively reflect on identity, co-design solutions to community challenges, and present individual projects at our Creativity Catalyst Summit. Rooted in research and powered by creativity, the Lab equips teens with real-world skills, mentorship, and confidence to imagine, design, and lead change.

ARCK is an innovative 501(c)(3) education nonprofit that has been transforming the learning experience for students from marginalized communities since 2012. Our mission is to equip youth with the tools to develop confidence, creativity, and purpose. We achieve this through programs that ignite creative exploration and open doors to success in college, career, and beyond. In 2025, we’re amplifying our impact with the launch of a state-of-the-art Creativity Lab in the Fenway—a space where diverse learners can experiment, express themselves, innovate, and create pathways for a bright future.

CORE VALUES

CREATIVITY: We foster a safe and nurturing space where imagination and self-expression can thrive.

COLLABORATION: We build meaningful relationships and work together to achieve shared goals and foster a culture of mutual respect, well-being, and inclusion.

INNOVATION: We develop creative approaches for community impact, embracing new ideas, bold thinking, and continuous learning to solve real-world challenges while prioritizing the well-being of people and communities.

HISTORY

“It’s not only about visual art experiences. It’s about opening a dialogue between students and the outside world. Through an investigation of culture and the promotion of acceptance, we are able to expand on the idea of respect, self-expression, and support the development of informed, proactive citizens of the world.”
— Sara Mraish Demeter, ARCK Founder and CEO

ARCK is the brainchild of an immigrant mom on a mission. When ARCK founder Sara Mraish Demeter saw her son’s school lose its art program, she was compelled to act. Sara knew first-hand how important the arts are to young people. As a refugee and immigrant to the United States, Sara used arts and creativity to help bring stability, expression, and healing to her new life in a new place. Years later, raising her family in Boston, she could not stand by and watch kids have this life-altering tool taken away from them. And so, ARCK was born. What started in 2011 as a pilot program in one classroom of the Josiah Quincy Elementary School quickly expanded to the entire school. Over a decade later, ARCK has engaged close to 7,000 students, and is bringing arts education back to under-resourced public schools through its unique and interdisciplinary teaching model for educators—providing students with the creative thinking and social skills that advance their classroom learning and are crucial to their future success.