In April 2024, the SPAM® Museum opened its doors to “A Work of Art: Creating Food Security,” a community event that combined art and advocacy to raise awareness about food insecurity in Mower County. The event featured over 200 pieces of art from Austin High School students, including drawings, pottery, photographs and essays, all aimed at fostering dialogue around food insecurity.
Community members, educators and local leaders were invited to explore both the challenges and proposed solutions through art and presentations. The event—organized by the Hometown Food Security Project, Hormel Foods and Austin High School—raised funds for various food security initiatives. Through this collaborative effort, the event showcased how art can drive meaningful change, emphasizing the vital role of education and community engagement in tackling food insecurity.
Key Takeaways
- We collaborated closely with the teachers and students to make sure they felt part of the process and understood the value of their work. Teachers and other school staff participated in weekly meetings providing feedback and support.
- Having the event be family-friendly and free of charge was a big bonus as it welcomed entire families with kids across various age ranges. The event featured a kids activity sponsored by The Hormel Institute to make it easier for those with young children to attend.
- All participants walked away with a goody bag of items from the participating organizations, including snacks, which was a big draw.
- When working with kids, it’s always important to be mindful of waivers, background checks or photo releases to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Always double check with school staff on protocols. This is particularly important when you’re planning to have media representatives attend the event.
- The event gave us a good way to further engage local organizations, including the Mayo Clinic Health System.