This  article  is  the  report  of  a  large-scale,  international  research  project involving focus group interviews of adolescent and young adult members of  a  variety  of  self-initiated  visual  culture  groups  in  five  urban  areas (Amsterdam,  Budapest,  Chicago,  Helsinki,  and  Hong  Kong).  Each  group was established by young people around their interests in the production and  use  of  a  form  of  visual  culture.  The  research  questions  for  this study  focused  on:  a)  conditions  of  visual  culture  communities,  b)  group practices in visual culture communities, c) individuals in a visual culture community,  and  d)  peer  teaching  and  learning  processes.  The  results  of this  study  indicate  that  visual  culture  groups  act  as  powerful  student communities  for  auto-didactic  and  peer  initiated  learning.  Although the  education  that  occurs  in  these  groups  may  be  considered  informal, students  maintain  them  to  increase  their  art  knowledge  and  skills,  as well as for entertainment and social networking. Several answers to each research question are reported and applications for formal art education are recommended