Adult-centered cultural activities often appear convoluted to young people. Although self-expression and personal creativity are acclaimed in adult-centered cultural activities, they exist only within the confines of adult concepts of cultural practices. Therefore, the message ultimately delivered to young people is "Do as I say, not as I do." After studying youth-generated practices of graffiti, skateboarding, street machining, and street dancing in Western Sydney, the author concludes that these practices challenge traditional notions of culture and employ many formal aesthetic constructs and criticisms of the visual artist, the playwright, or the dancer. Youth-generated cultural practices are seen as a significant stage of cultural and social change that makes them notable among youth cultures. The study of youth-generated cultural practices in Western Sydney provides vital knowledge on ways in which young people develop cultural identities, forms, and expressions; how they experience class distinctions; how class distinctions inform cultural practices; and how they adapt to cultural disadvantages. 2 references and 2 figures