What you put into a young person's education determines what they put into the world.
NYC Salt is an artist-led digital photography residency whose mission is to engage, inspire, and empower youth from underserved communities in New York City to reach their full potential and develop a sense of agency, belonging, and integrated identity through the lens of a camera.
For over two decades, NYC Salt has provided multi-year, rigorous instruction led by industry professionals, equipping students with technical expertise, creative vision, and the confidence to navigate the world as artists. Through individualized mentorship, college preparation, career exploration, and employment opportunities, our students gain not only artistic skills but also the tools to succeed in higher education and professional fields.
Our programs foster a deep sense of community and belonging, empowering young creatives to tell their own stories and shape the future of visual arts. Many of our alumni have pursued careers in photography, filmmaking, and design, while others have used their artistic training as a foundation for success in various industries. No matter their path, NYC Salt provides the guidance and resources to help them realize their potential.
One of the very first processes for turning a negative image into a positive print—or developing a photograph—was called the Salt Print. Early photographers soaked paper in a solution made from table salt followed by a strong silver solution, forming a coating of silver nitrate that was sensitive to light. In using table salt, a whole artistic practice was created. Our program strives to incorporate the ways that salt enhances the world around us. Like salt, photographs preserve how we remember the world —and they are world-making tools in themselves. We immerse young artists across NYC within these incredible process of creation.
Just as salt is essential for physiological balances, arts opportunities are vital in fostering a well-rounded education. The arts are an outlet for self-expression, allowing students to explore and uncover their own identities. The arts enrich critical thinking by offering new perspectives, forging communities, and teaching students to tell stories. In its most basic sense, the arts allow students to just make something, experiment, and gain confidence in taking risks.
In its microcosmic form, salt forms strong bonds between sodium and chloride. Salt can also bond with other substances to create something entirely new. Our educational philosophy implements collaboration and peer-to-peer learning frameworks to promote curiosity, engagement, and connection. Our experiential learning opportunities, such as hands-on field trips and guest artists or speakers, allow students to form relationships with all kinds of creative communities.
Digital photography is a unique storytelling tool that allows students to capture and share what is around them. It is special not only because of its ability to preserve a moment or memory but also because of how far digital photography can travel through both time and space. Salt’s almost supernatural ability to preserve mirrors the legacy of digital photography and the broader ways in which arts education immortalizes expression, creativity, and culture across generations.
Specifically, our program also values longevity as centering around our long-term investment in our students. We understand that support does not end with graduation or a college acceptance and a job offer—we offer life-long connections, programs, and access to our studio to sustain NYC Salt’s creative community and encourage continuous use of our resources.
Salt is a common and accessible resource. The divestment of the arts in low-income communities by federal, local, and social edifices results in detrimental, far-reaching effects. We believe that arts education programs are as essential as salt.
In 2005, Alicia Hansen, a professional photographer with over 25 years of experience as a freelance photographer, photojournalist, and producer, began Salt as a small photography class for 8 teenagers in Washington Heights. Inspired by her work on National Geographic’s first digital story with renowned photographer Joe Mcnally, Alicia understood that photography—and fluency within the visual industry—could expand possibilities for underserved youth.
Now, in our 20th year, we serve over 200 young artists annually through our studio, public schools, and community centers.
Our centrally located Chelsea studio offers a professional photography space, computer lab, and photography library, with direct access to galleries, museums, and creative businesses. Mentors and guest lecturers further enrich our students' learning experiences.
With a strong foundation in technical training and industry connections, 100% of our students graduate high school and attend top arts and communications programs—mostly on full or partial scholarships. 90% work in the creative industry, with features in Bloomberg News, Bon Appétit, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, Time, The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, and Vanity Fair. Our alumni photograph celebrities, lead major campaigns, exhibit internationally, and win prestigious awards, shaping the future of visual storytelling.
Our alumni have been featured inBloomberg News · Bon Appétit · National Geographic · Rolling Stone · Time · The New Yorker · The New York Times Magazine · Vanity Fair
127 West 26th Street, Suite 1201
New York, NY 10001
T: (917) 992-6756
E: nycsalt@nycsalt.org
Your purchase of a print helps fund our photography programs and gives young artists a platform to showcase their work.
Your donation can provide critical resources for our programs and help young photographers reach their potential.
