Public Art
From Posters to Progress. Powered by Youth
Grades 5 - 12
Now in its 19th year, LEAP’s Signature Public Art program is a visual art-based poster design program that invites students to cultivate identity, civic responsibility, and social wellness through the creation of Public Service Announcement (PSA) posters. At a community unveiling, students present their posters and the stories behind them, empowering young artists to raise awareness and make change through collaborative, message-driven design. By the end of the program, youth leave with meaningful peer connections, sharpened communication skills, deeper self-awareness, and a tangible sense of their creative power as changemakers.
The LEAP Way
Social Emotional Objectives
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Inspire youth in social wellness and art
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Encourage engagement with self, peers, and community
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Build shared accountability and collective power
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Strengthen collaboration and decision‑making
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Develop leadership, confidence, and goal‑setting
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Foster creativity and artistic growth
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Support healthy creative habits and connection
Share Power
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Collaborate with their peers to create and design a PSA poster about a social cause
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Integrate a collaborative work of art into the community
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Build foundational skills in visual storytelling, design principles, and media literacy
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Understand the historical impact of how posters shape public awareness, political change and social progress
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Reduce digital dependency through purposeful, embodied creation
21 Session Outline: Public Art’s 5 key phases
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**Phase 1:** Intro to social justice, public art, and community
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**Phase 2:** Choose, research, and map awareness topics
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**Phase 3:** Learn poster art techniques
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**Phase 4:** Collaborate and refine posters + statements
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**Phase 5:** Present at a community unveiling
"These kids are so brave. Their art speaks volumes about how we shape their growing brains and psyches. We need to remember just how much we influence their sense of security, hope, and kindness."