The Art That Moves People: Collaborative Initiative Encourages Diversity and Inclusivity Through Public Art
The Art That Moves People initiative, a collaboration between Aldine ISD and Houston METRO, was featured in the May/June 2024 edition of Texas School Business. This project engages students in creating bus shelter artworks that showcase their school pride and encourage future artistic endeavors. By prompting students to consider how their artwork can impact their community, the contest creates a public product that connects their work to the campus. Winning designs are displayed in local METRO bus shelters, becoming a permanent fixture that fosters pride and supports young artistic talents, inspiring and exciting the community.
Students participating in the contest design bus shelter artwork with a focus on engaging a diverse audience. The competition is judged based on a rubric that aims to portray the school culture, highlighting core values and strengths to the community. The Art That Moves People Art Design Contest is a joint effort by METRO and AISD to bring public art to stakeholders and celebrate the rich diversity of the Aldine community. By encouraging students to create art that reflects their cultural backgrounds and personal experiences, the initiative promotes a sense of belonging and unity.
Kaileigh Newman, Aldine ISD director of visual arts, emphasized how the contest validates students’ artistic abilities, builds an arts community, and provides a platform for students to express their cultural identities. By empowering students and fostering inclusivity and diversity, the contest allows students to contribute to the community’s mosaic of stories. To read the full article by Newman and Bradley S. Kaplan in Texas School Business and view examples of students’ designs, click HERE.
In this unique collaboration between Aldine ISD and Houston METRO, students are encouraged to create bus shelter artwork that showcases their school pride while also engaging with their local community. Through this initiative known as The Art That Moves People Art Design Contest, winning designs are displayed in local METRO bus shelters as a permanent fixture that inspires pride in young artistic talents while supporting diversity in creative expression.
The competition offers an opportunity for students to express themselves through art while also considering how it can positively impact their community’s public space. The judges evaluate submissions based on portraying school culture while highlighting core values and strengths through visually compelling designs.
Newman emphasizes that this contest not only validates student’s artistic abilities but also builds an arts community by providing them with an opportunity to contribute to public art initiatives.
Overall, The Art That Moves People Art Design Contest is an excellent example of how collaborations between schools
