This article examines how arts-based informal learning spaces engage young people at the intersection of creativity and technology. We conducted case studies of four youth media arts organizations to understand how teaching is defined and realized in these contexts. We find that teaching is a distributed act that sits at the intersection of people, tools, and activities. Drawing on theories of distributed cognition (Salomon, 1997), we provide examples of "distributed instruction" and describe how this form of instruction affords the development of creativity for young people who are learning to make art using digital technologies. We conclude by offering design principles for formal classroom settings that emerge from a theory of distributed instruction and discuss how these designed environments can offer opportunities for creativity and production in schools.