REFLECTIONS
Reflections is a national arts program that gives YOU the chance to create original works of art inspired by this year's theme. For the 2025-2026 school year, the theme is “I Belong!”
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
BRAINSTORMING
The Reflections theme this year is all about exploring what it means to belong. It’s a chance to think about the people, places, and experiences that make us feel accepted, supported, and included—and to share that through art.
Let's Talk About Belonging!
Use these questions to spark conversations at home:
• What does belonging mean to you? How do you know when you belong?
• Why is it important to feel like you belong? How does it make you feel?
• Have you ever felt left out? What happened, and how did it feel?
• Who helps others feel like they belong? Can you think of someone from a book, movie, or real life?
• What does belonging look like in different places? (like school, teams, or online?)
Pick a Category & Get Creative!
You can enter in one or more of the following:
• Visual Arts
• Dance Choreography
• Film Production
• Literature
• Music Composition
• Photography
Reflections Catagories
• Make a short documentary about your experience with belonging.
• Create an animation that tells a creative story about acceptance.
• Film a 'day in the life' that shows connection in everyday moments.
• Make a silent film using music and facial expressions to show feelings.
• Write a story about a character finding a place where they belong.
• Describe a moment when someone made you feel included.
• Write a poem about the pieces of your identity that make you feel like you belong.
• Create a play or script about moving somewhere new and building connections.
• Take portraits of people who help you feel like you belong.
• Photograph meaningful places—like home, a park, or a favorite corner of school.
• Capture a real moment of inclusion, like laughing with friends or sharing a meal.
• Use symbolic images—like a group of trees or an open door—to show connection
• Create a dance that shows the journey from feeling alone to feeling connected.
• Choreograph a group dance that highlights unity and teamwork.
• Use movements inspired by your heritage or culture.
• Express emotions through movement—from loneliness to joy.
• Create a map showing all the places where you feel you belong.
• Design a collage using photos or magazine clippings that show your identity and community.
• Draw or paint a doorway that leads into a safe and welcoming space.
• Build a layered piece that shows your different communities—like family, school, or your neighborhood.
Music Composition
• Write a song about your journey to finding belonging.
• Create an instrumental piece that builds from solo to group sounds.
• Use instruments to represent family, school, or cultural influences.
• Blend different music styles to show how diverse things can come together.