Community Painting at VIUSU FROSH

Created by Humanity Art: Lys Glassford and Lauren Semple.

Project Overview
In 2022, Humanity in Art was invited by the Vancouver Island University Students’ Union to lead a community painting activity during their paint-themed FROSH day. The objective was to create an inclusive art experience that encouraged spontaneous participation, creative expression, and cross-campus connection.
Held as part of VIUSU’s welcoming activities for new and returning students, the project offered a low-barrier opportunity for attendees to co-create a vibrant canvas celebrating togetherness.

Creative Strategy
Humanity in Art designed a participatory format using marker paints on a wide canvas banner. This medium enabled accessibility for students of all abilities and artistic comfort levels, removing pressure and allowing for uninhibited expression.
The team intentionally avoided complex instructions or restrictive design parameters, instead inviting students to paint messages of love, positivity, and personal reflection. The result was a collaborative mural overflowing with colour, joy, and encouragement.

Community Engagement
Over the course of the event, students who had never painted before joined seasoned creatives in co-creating a visual banner of a sturgeon.

Outcome
The completed banner became a symbol of inclusive community-building and creative play at VIU. It demonstrated the power of art to activate campus culture and provided a platform where every student, regardless of artistic skill, could contribute meaningfully.

This project remains a highlight in Humanity in Art’s community engagement portfolio and continues to inform future approaches to low-barrier artistic activation.