ARTbuilds Project - Outdoor Sculpture :: Flint Hills International Children's Festival presented by Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

Festival Art Projects ARTmoves Parade ARTwalk
—Children's Public Art Exhibit ARTcontest
—Poster Contest Public Art Project
—Public Art Installation Digital Kids Project
—Student Video Documentary ARTbuilds Project
—Outdoor Sculpture Building Art COMPAS Residency

ARTbuilds is a student-driven design program in which selected schools design and build large-scale architectural sculptures out of donated non-perishable food items on the grounds during the Flint Hills International Children’s Festival school week. With the guidance and leadership of artist-in-residence, Armando Gutierrez G., teams conceptualize, design, and construct their sculptures. Projects are based on school content areas (math, architecture, history, art, design) and may be unique to one subject area or cross-curricular.

In 2009, students from Edison High School, Open School, and El Colegio Charter School created large-scale sculptures from a General Mills donation of non-perishable food. After the Children’s Festival, food was donated to Second Harvest Heartland upon completion of the project.

Check out their amazing sculptures!

Students at Open School, Saint Paul Public Schools, under the direction of James Illif and artist-in-residence, Armando Gutiérrez G., designed and built the large scale sculpture.

Open School’s project statement:

Our project symbolizes our hope for peace on earth. We titled our sculpture Seeking Peace because it is clear that while we have come a long way as humans we still have a long way to go to achieving a peaceful world.

Visit Opens School's ARTbuilds Website

Students at Edison High School, Minneapolis Public Schools, under the direction of Gabrielle Bliss, Charles Johnson–Nixon and artist-in-residence, Armando Gutiérrez G., designed and built the large scale sculpture.

Edison High School's Project statement:

The students at Thomas Edison High School decided that the invention of the spaceship is important to humankind. The space shuttle fits into the Festival’s “Flights of Fancy” theme. It symbolizes our desire to grow and explore.

Visit Edison High School's ARTbuilds Website

Students at El Colegio Charter School, under the direction of Chad Davidson and artist-in-residence, Armando Gutiérrez G., designed and built the large scale sculpture.

El Colegio’s Project statement:

For the El Colegio sculpture, we chose to represent a "green" “Flight of Fancy” with a triangle-shaped recycling symbol and paper airplane inside. The recycling symbol is the best way we found to represent the importance of taking care of the planet that is actually our home. Tossing the paper airplane into a recycling bin represents recycling paper to save the trees.

Visit El Colegio's Website

Project Highlights

• Artist-in-residence work, construction materials, and transportation to and from the Ordway are 100% subsidized for ARTbuilds teams by the Ordway and project sponsor.

• On-site building and display during Children’s Festival provide school visibility and allow for interaction with Festival-goers while exhibiting school’s innovation.

• The opportunity to partner across school disciplines is supported by an experienced resident artist.

• Design work can be documented for inclusion in student portfolios and school materials.

• Option to participate for three consecutive years to deepen student’s experience.

2010 Project Timeline:

• October 9, 2009: ARTbuilds Applications Due

• October- November, 2009: ARTbuilds Planning Session with Educators

• January- June, 2010: Residency in Schools

• April 28, 2010: ARTbuilds Presentations at Ordway Center

• June 2010: ARTbuilds Build Week

A special thank you to Gabrielle Bliss, Charles Johnson Nixon, Chad Davidson and James Illif, who with ARTbuilds artist-in-residence, Armando Gutierrez G. led the 2009 ARTbuilds student teams through projects that resulted in more than 12,000 cans of food and 1,500 boxes of granola bars being donated to Second Harvest Heartland.