Grow Connection in the Art Room Through Student Voice, Choice, and Belonging

The art room has the power to be the most magical, welcoming, and joyfully rebellious space in the school. It’s where students stretch boundaries, make glorious messes, and express themselves through color, shape, texture, and line. But creating that kind of environment doesn’t happen by accident. It starts with relationship building, and it grows through student voice, meaningful choice, and a deep sense of belonging. When students feel seen, heard, and trusted, creativity flourishes. That kind of classroom culture takes intention, heart, and commitment from day one.

Empower student voices, offer choices that go beyond “crayon or marker,” and prioritize belonging with the tips below.

Build relationships before routines.

Yes, procedures matter, but if students don’t trust you, they won’t follow them. The first few weeks are your best chance to show students that your room is a place where they can be themselves without fear of judgment. Think of your classroom like a stage: before anyone steps into the spotlight, they need to know that messing up a line won’t get them laughed off. Start by focusing on connection, not compliance.

Try these strategies to build relationships:

• About Me Art Gallery
  During the first week, students create a piece that represents who they are through symbols, colors, patterns, or favorite objects. Display every piece to show that everyone belongs in the art room.
  
• Identity Bags
  Ask students to bring in (or draw) three items that represent who they are. Use them to inspire self-portraits or story-based artworks later.
  
• Classroom Agreements in Color
  Instead of handing out rules, create visual agreements with students. Students illustrate what ideals like kindness, freedom, creativity, or respect look like in the art room.
  
• Sketch & Spill Journals
  In their sketchbooks, students doodle or visually express how they’re feeling once a week. You’ll gain insight into their world without needing a big talk circle.
  
• The Art Room Playlist Project
  Invite each student to contribute a favorite school-appropriate song to the class playlist, or check out The Art of Ed Community’s playlists! Turn it on during work time and watch how they light up when their song comes on. It’s a simple but powerful way to validate their voice.
  
• Celebrate the Weird
  If a student draws a mushroom castle or gives a sculpture five ears, lean in. Trust grows when students know there is no “right” way to make art.
  

Make student voice the heart of everything.

Empowering student voice isn’t about giving permission to speak; it’s about truly listening and understanding how your response can shape classroom culture. When students know their thoughts and interests matter, they don’t simply participate—they invest. Students feel a sense of ownership over the space and confidence in their creative journey when they see that their presence has a genuine influence.

Add these four student voice activities to kick off the year:

1. “Why I Made This” Video Reflection
   Invite students to record short videos or audio statements explaining their process and inspiration. Link these to their work with a QR code in the display.
   
2. Student-Curated Gallery Wall
   Let students pick the theme, write the wall text, and choose which artworks get displayed. Give them a role as curators, not just creators.
   
3. Classroom Values Mural
   Pull imagery from the Classroom Agreements in Color activity, above. Combine them into a collaborative mural that becomes your visual mission statement.
   
4. “Dear Art Teacher” Box
   Create a mailbox for anonymous or signed notes. Kickstart the feedback process with questions like, What do you wish we did more of? Or, What’s something that helps you feel welcome here? Check and respond regularly to show them how their voice shapes your decisions.

Remember that choice isn’t chaos—it’s trust.

Letting students make meaningful choices doesn’t mean giving up structure; it means showing them their ideas matter. True choice goes beyond picking tools. It invites students to decide what to make, how to make it, and why they’re making it. By curating options like themes, techniques, or media, you create a framework that leaves lots of room for exploration. This balance fosters risk-taking and creative ownership. You’re in the passenger seat, guiding the journey, and they’re confidently steering.

Take a look at these back-to-school choice ideas:

• Mini Art Buffet
  During the first few weeks, stock a cart or shelf with drawing prompts, collage scraps, recycled materials, and simple tools. Let students choose their warm-up or early-finisher activity.
  
• Skill-Building Menus
  Start the year with a menu of skill-building tasks like contour drawing, color mixing, or shading. Students choose their subject matter so everyone builds the same foundation, but on their own terms.
  
• “Design Your Own Project” Pitch
  Midway through the quarter, invite students to propose their own project idea. Give parameters, such as the theme and medium, but let them present their vision like creative entrepreneurs.
  
• Back-to-School Art Bingo
  Create a game board filled with playful, open-ended artmaking prompts like, Use only three colors, Draw your favorite food, or Incorporate something from nature.
  
• Themed Studio Days
  Set up one day a week or month where students can revisit old work. Other theme day ideas are to start a fresh artwork or try a new medium.
  

Focus on representation to foster belonging.

Students create more meaningful connections when they see themselves reflected in what and how they’re taught. This goes beyond hanging a few diverse posters on the wall. It’s about showing that every student and story is worth celebrating through art.

Here are two ways to prioritize representation from the start:

1. Artist Roster Expansion
   All art teachers have favorite artists they keep going back to. Bring fresh artists to your curriculum, not only from different races, but also from various cultures, time periods, locations, abilities, and experiences. Show students how famous masters connect with contemporary artists. FLEX Curriculum’s artist bios are a great resource to lighten your workload. Watch 5 Minutes of Art History for a complimentary artist bio and easy ways to bring them to both elementary and secondary students.
   
2. Mirror & Window Projects
   Start the year with a project that helps students explore their identity (mirrors) while also learning about the lives of others (windows). Topics can include heritage, home, family traditions, or community.
   

Make it wild, weird, and wonderfully fun!

Creative spaces should feel playful and alive with curiosity, laughter, and experimentation. One of the most powerful ways to build connection is through shared moments of joyful chaos, where students feel comfortable taking risks and being their weird, wonderful selves. When the art room becomes a place where rules bend and imaginations lead, students lean in with excitement rather than fear. Mess and mistakes become a sign of progress, not problems.

Check out these play-based ideas for the first weeks of school:

• Art Dice & Dry-Erase Spinner Challenges
  Start each class by letting students roll dice or spin a wheel with creativity challenges.
  
• Exquisite Corpse
  Students draw a head, fold the paper, and pass it to a classmate. They draw the next part and pass it on. Repeat until the whole creature is complete! No skill level required, only creativity and collaboration.
  
• Art Fortune Tellers
  Create cootie catchers filled with creative parameters like Draw to music, Use only warm colors, or Sketch with your non-dominant hand.
  
• Art Room Alter Egos
  Students draw themselves as a superhero, mythical creature, or alien, and then write about their alter ego’s powers. It’s a fun way to build confidence and connection through imagination.
  
• Art Room Time Capsule
  On the first day, students create a mini artwork or message to their future selves. Seal it in a class “art vault” and plan to open it at the end of the year.
  

Helping students feel like they belong in your classroom doesn’t come from a single activity or bulletin board—it’s a daily practice. There’s no one-size-fits-all strategy, but you can embrace a mindset that makes it far more likely to happen. Listen more than you speak, offer more than you assign, and invite more than you expect. Make your room a place where students don’t just make art; they construct meaning, connection, and community this year.

How do you encourage student voice, choice, and belonging in your classroom?

What is one playful, out-of-the-box idea you’re going to try this upcoming school year?

To chat about building student relationships with other art teachers, join us in The Art of Ed Community!