Community Art Installations
Community Art installations cultivate the school's identity and showcase learning on an extraordinary level. These student-generated interactive exhibits connect the stakeholders in the school community and promote connections through shared experiences, opportunities for leadership, and high levels of engagement.
Now check out how covering the school in 25,000 DOTS, constructing the Lascaux Caves, setting up a food truck market, and developing a haunted cupcake scavenger hunt brought the community together!
Connections Through Shared Experiences
When teachers, students, and parents all come together to create something, we develop a connection because of that shared experience. Discussing art is a great way to start a conversation, engage a child about their day, and create a memory that lasts for a lifetime. Community Art installations give us these opportunities to share extraordinary experiences.
This community installation featured on the right was inspired by the Obliteration Room and Peter Reynold's book The Dot. Used furniture, spray paint, laminated copy paper, and 25,000 dot stickers allowed over 500 people to create this masterpiece. Check out this website for time-lapse videos!
Opportunities for Leadership
When my grade 5 students began their unit on prehistoric art, I never imagined that they would come up with the idea to build a replica of the Lascaux cave. Building on their creativity, we used a few foldable walls, crumpled paper, and a bit of chicken wire to build a 3-hall room that showcased images of the Lascaux Caves. The best part was watching them act as tour guides for the entire community!
When students are involved in the development of Art installations it provides them with the opportunity to take on leadership roles and plan events. Check out the video.
High Levels of Engagement
The Food Truck Market was an interactive exhibit that showcased ceramic food sculptures, student writing, and drawing. The entire community participated in scavenger hunt activities that promoted reading and math skills. Everyone loves a scavenger hunt!
Check out the website for videos and images!
Art is FUN!
Art teachers make school really fun! Pumpkin decorating contests, scavenger hunts, games, backdrops, class photos, and a launch page to organize all of the festivities. Check out the website and see how community art installations can also encourage parent involvement even if they are not able to attend events.