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Community Art Project: "Butterflies Blurred"

The lead art for the Center for the Arts' 2025-2026 season community art project, Butterflies Blurred, with origami butterfly figures on a yellow background

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Educators may send student work to:
Bethany Costello
Engagement Manager
Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech
190 Alumni Mall
Suite 213
Blacksburg, VA 24061

 

Deadline:
Monday, March 9, 2026

 

All works must be on paper 6 x 6 inches or smaller; larger works will not be displayed.

 

All works must include the following information on an attached piece of paper:

  • Teacher name
  • School name
  • Grades represented

 

The exhibition closes on Friday, April 17. These works will be recycled after the display closes and will not be available for return.

March 17-April 17, 2026

The Community Art Project celebrates the Center for the Arts' goal of fostering artistic expression among PK-12 students from various schools and districts. Students are invited to create a paper butterfly, inspired by Abigail Lucien's spring solo exhibition, Molt. Lucien's Haitian American identity greatly influences their artwork, which often features the scarce Haitian swallowtail butterfly — symbolizing freedom of movement and transnational identity. 

Selected artworks will be displayed at the Center for the Arts from Tuesday, March 17-Friday, April 17, allowing the community to experience the diverse perspectives and talents of young artists. Submissions are due by Monday, March 9. 

Go Further

We encourage schools to arrange a field trip to see Abigail Lucien: Molt, in order to provide educational insights and enrich learning experiences. Please contact bethanycostello@vt.edu for more information. Can't schedule a field trip at this time? Get your step-by-step lesson plan to walk your students through the project, coordinated alongside the VADOE Standards of Learning.

Download the Lesson Plan