Art is about expressing your individuality, but you can also make something pretty incredible when people pool their talents. Group art projects give kids a chance to work together, putting their strengths to work.
We’ve partnered with some of our favorite Instagram art teachers to bring you this collection of project ideas. We’re always amazed by the vivid yearly collaborative art projects that Mrs. D. of @art.party.with.ms.d plans and produces—they’re especially impressive when you realize that her artists are in kindergarten and 1st and 2nd grades!
For Lauralee of @2art.chambers, collaborative art often comes down more to the way she displays her students’ work. The key is using coordinating colors and designs that make a cohesive whole when you put them all together. Then, it’s just a matter of hanging everything where it can be appreciated.
This collection of collaborative art projects works for kids, teens, and adults alike while providing results everyone can be proud of. Whether you’re into painting, sculpture, doodling, or mosaics, there’s truly something for everyone on this list. For additional inspo, drop by our partners’ Instagram accounts for photos, lesson plans, and more!
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Art Portfolio Templates
This bundle contains art portfolio cover sheets for preschool to grade 5, as well as a template that works for any grade. You also get an art project planning sheet and an artist study worksheet.
We Are Teachers
Collaborative Art Projects
Courtesy of @2art.chambers
Kindness Quilt
How many words related to kindness can you find in these paper quilt blocks? What an amazing display for your school hallway!
Interconnecting foam blocks are the perfect blank canvas for a collaborative art project. Lauralee took inspiration from artist Wassily Kandinsky and made this mat for International Dot Day!
Ask students to bring in empty egg cartons and cut them apart into individual segments. Let each student decorate one with paints or other media, then assemble them to form a mural.
What a fun holiday display! Use cookie cutters to create the individual star cookies from clay, then decorate with clay toppings. Pile them all together on a big dish, but don’t be tempted to nibble!
Embrace the many cultures that make up America with this amazing collaborative art idea! Students can choose a language that’s important to their family, or research the languages spoken in your area, past and present. “We know that Thanksgiving is an American tradition, but saying thank you and being grateful matters no matter where you are anytime,” notes Lauralee.
These geometric quilt blocks allow each student to be creative while still coming together in a cohesive display. Consider having each class work in one color palette so they can see themselves represented in smaller teams that are part of a bigger whole.
Based on the ancient sand paintings of Tibetan monks, this collaborative project doubles as a mindful meditation exercise. Tip: Place the sand in small squeeze bottles for more control.
Lauralee’s students created these pinwheels for an International Day of Peace display. If you have the space outdoors (and cooperative weather), try mounting these on sticks and displaying them outdoors for a gorgeous moving art installation.
Provide each student with a small canvas and choose a color palette, like blue and yellow. Each student can create their own design to paint. Then, assemble the canvases together on a larger panel for a coordinated display.
Making roses from air-dry clay is easier than you think! Let each student craft one in a color of their choice. Then assemble them all into a massive bouquet or floral display.
Art teachers love Kwik Stix paint sticks—they’re perfect for creating a big colorful mural. All you need is a long roll of paper, paint sticks, and plenty of room for kids to spread out.
The symmetrical designs on each individual block coordinate (but don’t exactly match) those on the others. They make a harmonious whole, but each one’s individuality still shines through.
Here’s one more collaborative quilt design to try. “This is the flying geese pattern used in quilts to give direction to enslaved people on the run north,” explains Lauralee. This would make a terrific Black History Month project.
Decorate the walls of your classroom with these simple and colorful cardboard letters. This project is a fun way to help young ones master their letters while letting their creativity flow!
These collaborative murals are very popular and so much fun to make. Ask each student to create a feather, then put them together into a pair of wings. If possible, create it at a level that will allow students to stand in front and take amazing photos.
Not all collaborative art projects need a long-term, lasting result. If you’ve got a brick wall in your playground or courtyard, give kids sidewalk chalk and let them each decorate a brick any way they like. This is a cool idea for the last days of school, letting students literally leave their mark before they set off for summer break.
Ms. D‘s yearly collaborative art projects generally all use the same basic concept: bright paper in a variety of designs. For this one, students drew butterflies on card stock, vellum, and clear transparencies, then cut them out. The arrangement against black paper really makes this display pop!
For this display, Ms. D took inspiration from International Dot Day. The 3D dot sculptures provide texture as well as color, filling the hallway with bright cheer.
Maya Angelou’s famous quotation anchors this lovely display of paper flowers, each with a bit of detail and texture. Ms. D notes that students used Astrobrights paper, Sharpies, and Wonder Stix to make the blooms.
Origami can be a real challenge for students, and many teachers use it to encourage a growth mindset. We love how students added their own details to each owl after they folded it, creating a flock of wise birds to fill their school hallway!
Here’s another origami collaborative display from Ms. D, this time featuring hearts. Students accented their hearts with hand-drawn patterns in slightly different shades to make them each unique.
These 3D houses really bring the wow factor! Kids can learn a variety of art techniques as they create them. They assemble into an incredibly impressive display.
You’ve probably seen painted rock collaborative art displays before, but we love Ms. D’s super-cool take on it! She collected the painted rocks into cement stepping stones, keeping them all safe, contained, and proudly on display.
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What are your favorite collaborative art projects to do in the classroom? Come and share in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
