From Campus to Community: A Collaboration Between METRO and AISD Brings Public Art to the People

The Art That Moves People initiative, a collaboration between Aldine ISD and Houston METRO, has been recognized in the May/June 2024 edition of Texas School Business magazine. This program encourages students to engage in designing bus shelter artworks that represent their school pride and inspire future artistic pursuits. The contest challenges students to consider how their artwork can impact their community and create a public display that connects their work to their school campus. Winning designs are displayed in local METRO bus shelters, becoming a permanent fixture in the community and instilling pride in the school while inspiring future artists and exciting the community.

Students participating in the contest design bus shelter artwork that is installed in their local METRO bus shelters with a focus on engaging a diverse audience on a daily basis. The competition is judged based on a rubric that aims to showcase the school’s culture, values, and strengths to the community. This initiative is a collaboration between METRO and AISD to bring public art to the community, highlighting the rich diversity of the Aldine community and encouraging students to create art that reflects their cultural backgrounds and personal experiences, fostering unity and a sense of belonging.

Kaileigh Newman, Director of Visual Arts at Aldine ISD, emphasizes the importance of this contest in validating students’ artistic abilities, building an arts community, and providing a platform for students to express their cultural identity. This initiative promotes inclusivity and diversity by allowing students to contribute to their community through art installations. To read more about this unique program by Newman and Bradley S. Kaplan or view examples of student designs visit Texas School Business (Pages 24-25).