Bring a Mural to Your School (FAQ)

How collaborative school murals work

If you’re considering a collaborative mural for your school, this page walks you through how the process works, what to expect, and how students take part.

All projects are guided and structured, so students of all ages and abilities can contribute to one shared artwork—without adding extra load for teachers.

Enquire About a School Mural

No obligation — I’ll help you work out what suits your school.

Specialist Soccer Team grades 3–7 painting "Our Soccer Mural" in Adelaide
Secondary school students painting "Find Your Confidence" collaborative mural Bling stage using paint pens.
High school students painting "Find Your Courage" mural exploring stage in Adelaide

Inclusive • Supportive • Step-by-step

Every student has a place in the process. I guide the structure so the mural comes together as a cohesive whole, while students lead the creativity.

How a collaborative school mural works

Students lead the creative experience through the Pattern Play Collaborative Art framework, which provides structure while allowing space for spontaneity and freeform creativity.

The process

Messy Playing – students explore freely
Exploring – patterns and ideas develop
Bling – details and finishing touches bring it together

This step-by-step structure helps students experiment with patterns, shapes, and colours while building a cohesive mural as a group.

What happens during the project

School leadership and staff support the process and encourage participation throughout.

During painting sessions, students actively contribute across the artwork, while finishing touches such as the mural name and students’ first names are added at the end to recognise every contribution.

Project outcome

At the end of the project, the school receives a digital album of any photos taken, documenting both the mural and the creative process, creating a lasting record for students, staff, and families.

The finished mural becomes a shared achievement that reflects collaboration, creativity, and student voice.

For privacy and future protection, recognisable student faces are not shown in project photos; images are taken from behind or edited as needed. Schools are welcome to take their own photographs according to their own permission agreements for internal use.

What schools gain

Collaborative murals support:

  • Student belonging and pride
  • Collaboration and teamwork
  • Engagement and motivation
  • Positive school culture
  • Wellbeing initiatives
  • A lasting artwork created by students and staff together

Murals for Primary Schools

Alt Text: Primary school children cooperating on "Our Tennis Mural" R–7 in Adelaide, South Australia
Primary school children painting the Messy Playing stage of "Our Soccer Mural" R–7 in Adelaide
Specialist Soccer Team grades 3–7 painting "Our Soccer Mural" in Adelaide

Primary students engage in a fun, hands-on creative process where they feel safe to explore and contribute.

Collaborative murals help children:

• Build confidence in their creative abilities
• Work together on a shared project
• Celebrate their school community

Staff participation strengthens engagement and reinforces a shared experience.

"Our Soccer Mural" completed by primary school students over four sessions in Adelaide
Detail of "Movement is Life" gym mural painted by Specialist Gymnastics Team, primary school, Adelaide
Detail of "Our Tennis Mural" completed by primary school students R–7 with Voice of Kids, Adelaide

Murals for High Schools

High school students painting "Find Your Confidence" collaborative school mural exploring stage, Adelaide
Secondary school students painting "Find Your Confidence" collaborative mural Bling stage using paint pens.
High school students painting "Find Your Courage" mural exploring stage in Adelaide

High school murals give students real ownership and voice.

  • Give students a voice and leadership opportunities
  • Strengthen school identity and pride
  • Support wellbeing and engagement
  • Encourage collaboration and connection

Staff involvement ensures a shared sense of achievement and creates conversation around the project as a whole-school experience.

"Find Your Confidence" mural completed with high school students using Vibrant colour scheme, Adelaide
"Find Your Courage" mural using Galaxy colour scheme with high school students in Adelaide
"Find Your Courage" detail of mural completed by secondary school students in Adelaide

Murals for Specialist Disability and Special Needs Schools

Students with disabilities painting "Together We Thrive" mural at Aspect Treetops School, Adelaide
Students with disabilities painting "Together We Thrive" mural at Aspect Treetops School, Adelaide
Students with disabilities painting "Our Sensory Garden Mural" at Suneden Specialist School, Adelaide

Collaborative murals can be adapted for diverse learning needs, with flexible pacing and inclusive participation strategies.

Students contribute in ways that feel comfortable and accessible for them, building confidence, connection, and pride.

Staff are welcome to take part, helping create an inclusive and shared experience for the whole school community.

"Our Sensory Garden Mural" completed at Suneden Specialist School, Adelaide
Detail of an alternative view of "Together We Thrive" mural at Aspect Treetops School, Adelaide
Detail of "Together We Thrive" mural completed at Aspect Treetops School, Adelaide

Project Investment

My core School Mural Program is $8,000 over 5 sessions. This is the full experience, allowing the mural to develop in layers while students build confidence, ownership, and collaboration over time.

I also offer smaller collaborative mural projects from $4,000, depending on the size of the mural, number of participants, session length, and project goals.

If you’re considering a smaller project, feel free to get in touch. I’m happy to suggest options that suit your space, timeline, and budget.

Enquire About a School Mural

No obligation — I’ll help you work out what suits your school.

Primary students collaborating on the "Movement is Life" mural, painting gymnastics-inspired designs using the Pattern Play Collaborative Art framework in a school setting.
Children painting the "Movement is Life" mural together, adding accessible patterns inspired by gymnastics movements as part of a Collaborative School Murals project.
Students working together on the "Movement is Life" mural, layering patterns on the wall as part of a Collaborative School Murals program, fostering teamwork and creativity.

Collaborative School Mural FAQs

How are staff involved?

Staff participation is always welcome, and many schools choose to have teachers and support staff paint alongside students. Creating together helps build a strong sense of shared ownership and pride in the finished mural, while also giving staff and students a positive shared experience to talk about afterwards. Painting side-by-side can open new ways to connect and communicate, particularly for students who benefit from relationship-based approaches. Staff and students can also contribute to planning conversations, colour preferences, and celebrating the final outcome, strengthening the sense that the mural truly belongs to the whole school community.

Do students need to be studying art to participate?

Students do not need to be studying art to take part. The Pattern Play Collaborative Art process is designed so that every student can contribute successfully, regardless of ability, background, or experience. The focus is on creativity, confidence, participation, and shared achievement rather than technical skill, allowing the whole school community to be involved. This inclusive approach works across ages and abilities, creating a positive, connected experience where everyone has a place and students can genuinely feel proud of what they create together.

Mural evolution and student ownership

Murals are a living part of the school environment. Created through the Pattern Play Collaborative Art process, they develop over multiple sessions, allowing students to see the artwork grow over time.

This creates strong ownership for the group painting it, and a sense of connection for the wider school community as the mural develops.

Murals are considered a form of temporary collaborative art, and schools are encouraged to document the process before refreshing the artwork for new student cohorts.

How many students can be involved?

Projects are designed to include manageable groups of students at a time so that everyone can participate comfortably and successfully. Rather than working with very large numbers all at once, students usually take part in smaller groups of approximately 6–15 per session, depending on the mural size and the age of the students. This allows each student to contribute meaningfully while keeping the experience calm, supported, and enjoyable.

Groups can rotate throughout the day or across multiple sessions, and students can join at different stages of the process while still feeling a strong sense of ownership of the mural. Projects are commonly delivered as a series of weekly sessions over several weeks, with each visit lasting around 2–3 hours to allow for set-up, pack-down, and natural school breaks such as recess. This extended timeframe allows the wider school community to watch the mural develop over time, which becomes a valuable part of the learning experience as students see creativity, collaboration, and persistence unfold in real life.

What materials do you provide?

All professional art materials are supplied, including paints, brushes, surface preparation materials, and any protective equipment required. Schools do not need to organise materials, ensuring consistent quality, efficient sessions, and a visually cohesive finished mural — all with maximum ease for the school. If surface preparation is needed, this is often best handled by the school’s groundskeeper. In these cases, we work together to complete tasks such as patching holes, power-washing, or installing panels when using movable surfaces.

What does the process look like?

Murals are created using the Pattern Play Collaborative Art process, which includes three core stages:

Messy Playing — building confidence and energy through expressive mark-making and large shapes
Exploring — developing patterns, colour relationships, and collaborative flow
Bling — refining details and strengthening the overall artwork with details and decoration

This approach allows students to paint freely within a supportive framework, producing a mural that is spontaneous and expressive while remaining visually cohesive. The result is a truly collaborative artwork where every contribution is integrated into the overall design.

Do you use handprints or graffiti styles?

Instead of handprints or graffiti-style painting, students create shared patterns across the mural surface. Everyone contributes to the overall artwork rather than making isolated marks, producing a mural that feels connected, inclusive, and visually striking for years to come. Students work from the tested, inclusive, and simple patterns provided, with the freedom to adapt them to their own style and creative flair.

What happens after the mural is finished?

Students’ names are included on the artwork hidden in plain sight, recognising their contribution and providing a fun additional interaction to spot their names and those of the other students. Schools also receive a digital photo album to share with families and the wider community. The completion of the mural often becomes a celebration moment for the school, with the mural title also added. Graffiti protection layers can be added for an additional fee.

How long does a school mural project take?

Timeframes vary depending on mural size, number of participants, and school scheduling. Many mural projects are completed over a series of guided painting sessions, with planning and preparation coordinated in advance with school leadership. For most of the mural projects featured on this page, painting sessions took place once a week on a set day and time that suited the school, typically over 4–6 weeks. In some cases, sessions were held twice a week, depending on the needs of the school, class sizes, and group arrangements. Outdoor projects are occasionally delayed by weather, such as rain or extreme heat, and adjustments are made in consultation with the school. These considerations are simply part of the process of creating an eye-catching and unique school mural.

What makes this mural approach different

What I do

  • Lead freeform, spontaneous murals with students guiding the design within the Pattern Play Collaborative Art framework
  • Encourage experimentation, curiosity, and creative confidence
  • Focus on fun, playful, hands-on experiences
  • Build the mural in layers — adding patterns, shapes, and colour over several sessions
  • Create a strong sense of ownership and pride for every participant
  • Paint small-scale (ceiling height) murals so no steps or ladders are needed

This approach is different from some other mural styles

  • Murals are not pre-designed in full before painting begins
  • Students are not asked to copy a fixed image or follow a set outcome
  • The process is not artist-led in a directive way — students actively shape the artwork
  • It is not a paint-by-numbers approach
  • Instead of handprints or individual motifs, students create shared patterns and layered marks across the whole mural

Each mural begins with a blank wall and evolves through student participation, shaped by the energy and creativity of each group rather than a pre-designed image.

There are many wonderful mural styles available, including artist-designed and large-scale works with detailed or realistic imagery. This collaborative, pattern-based approach is simply a different way of working — one that focuses on participation, shared ownership, and creative confidence.

Is this the right fit for your school?

This approach suits schools looking for a highly participatory, student-led mural experience.

A collaborative mural may be a great fit if your school:

  • Wants students to actively participate in creating the artwork
  • Values wellbeing, connection, and a positive school culture
  • Seeks a process that nurtures confidence, creativity, and engagement
  • Prefers a meaningful, student-driven alternative to a paint-by-numbers mural
  • Wants an artwork the whole school community can genuinely say, “We created this together”
  • Wishes to showcase student contribution in a way that enhances and celebrates the school environment over time
  • Has a small- to medium-scale mural site (up to door or ceiling height) that can be safely created without steps or ladders, and enlivened through collaborative art.

Projects are designed to be flexible and supportive, working with your students’ needs, abilities, and school environment.

If you’re unsure whether this is suitable for your setting, you’re welcome to reach out for a conversation.

Let’s talk about your school mural

If you’re considering a mural project for your school, I’d love to hear about your students, staff, and the creative experience you’d like to offer them.

Enquire About a School Mural

Empowering students through collaborative murals

Students don’t need to be studying art to contribute meaningfully. With guided participation, students and staff work together to create a mural that reflects their school community and becomes a lasting shared achievement.

For more inspiration and real examples, visit the Collaborative Mural Projects Hub.

Primary / Elementary School Murals:

Primary school children painting the Messy Playing stage of "Our Soccer Mural" R–7 in Adelaide
Primary school students exploring creative patterns during the Messy Playing stage of “Our Soccer Mural” with Pattern Play Collaborative Art. Team mural projects foster interactive group murals.
Specialist Soccer Team grades 3–7 painting "Our Soccer Mural" in Adelaide
Grades 3–7 Specialist Soccer Team working together on “Our Soccer Mural” using Pattern Play Collaborative Art. A model for inclusive group murals and student mural projects.
"Our Soccer Mural" completed by primary school students over four sessions in Adelaide
Primary school students collaboratively painting “Our Soccer Mural” using Pattern Play Collaborative Art. An example of interactive group murals and student mural projects.
Alt Text: Primary school children cooperating on "Our Tennis Mural" R–7 in Adelaide, South Australia
Students working together on “Our Tennis Mural” using Pattern Play Collaborative Art. Inclusive group murals and team mural projects encourage engagement and fun.
Detail of "Our Tennis Mural" completed by primary school students R–7 with Voice of Kids, Adelaide
Primary school students R–7 collaboratively painted this “Our Tennis Mural” using Pattern Play Collaborative Art, highlighting participatory mural art and inclusive group murals.
Detail of "Movement is Life" gym mural painted by Specialist Gymnastics Team, primary school, Adelaide
Collaborative school mural “Movement is Life” created with Pattern Play Collaborative Art, showcasing primary school murals and participatory mural art in Adelaide. (detail of a 5-figure mural)
Children painting the "Movement is Life" mural together, adding accessible patterns inspired by gymnastics movements as part of a Collaborative School Murals project.
Primary-aged students collaborating on the “Movement is Life” mural in a school-based Collaborative School Murals program, guided by the Pattern Play Collaborative Art framework.
Primary students collaborating on the "Movement is Life" mural, painting gymnastics-inspired designs using the Pattern Play Collaborative Art framework in a school setting.
Students contributing to the “Movement is Life” mural during a Collaborative School Murals project, layering patterns and working together in a fun, inclusive art session.
Students working together on the "Movement is Life" mural, layering patterns on the wall as part of a Collaborative School Murals program, fostering teamwork and creativity.
Children collaborating on the “Movement is Life” mural, part of a collaborative school murals project designed to engage students in inclusive, structured art activities.

Secondary / High School Murals:

High school students painting "Find Your Confidence" collaborative school mural exploring stage, Adelaide
Teenagers creating “Find Your Confidence” mural using Pattern Play Collaborative Art. Collaborative mural art and team mural projects foster interactive group murals.
Secondary school students painting "Find Your Confidence" collaborative mural Bling stage using paint pens.
High school students completing the Bling stage of a collaborative school mural. Pattern Play Collaborative Art ensures participatory mural art and fun group mural creation.
"Find Your Confidence" mural completed with high school students using Vibrant colour scheme, Adelaide
Collaborative school mural created using Pattern Play Collaborative Art (Exploring stage shown). Secondary school students explore group mural creation and inclusive group murals.
High school students painting "Find Your Courage" mural exploring stage in Adelaide
Students collaboratively exploring patterns on “Find Your Courage” mural using Pattern Play Collaborative Art. Interactive group murals and team mural projects encourage participation.
"Find Your Courage" detail of mural completed by secondary school students in Adelaide
Teenagers collaboratively painted this the “Find Your Courage” mural using Pattern Play Collaborative Art. Examples of interactive group murals and student mural projects. (detail)
"Find Your Courage" mural using Galaxy colour scheme with high school students in Adelaide
Collaborative mural painted by secondary school students using Pattern Play Collaborative Art. Interactive group murals and inclusive team mural projects highlight student engagement.

Specialist Disability or Special Needs Schools:

Students with disabilities painting "Together We Thrive" mural at Aspect Treetops School, Adelaide
Students with disabilities collaborating on the “Together We Thrive” mural using Pattern Play Collaborative Art. Inclusive group murals and team mural projects showcase participatory mural art.
Students with disabilities painting "Together We Thrive" mural at Aspect Treetops School, Adelaide
Students with disabilities collaborating on the “Together We Thrive” mural using Pattern Play Collaborative Art. Inclusive group murals and team mural projects showcase participatory mural art.
Detail of an alternative view of "Together We Thrive" mural at Aspect Treetops School, Adelaide
Another perspective of specialist school students creating an inclusive collaborative school mural. Pattern Play Collaborative Art enables interactive group murals and participatory mural art.
Detail of "Together We Thrive" mural completed at Aspect Treetops School, Adelaide
Specialist school students completed this collaborative school mural using Pattern Play Collaborative Art. Inclusive group murals and student mural projects promote participation.
Students with disabilities painting "Our Sensory Garden Mural" at Suneden Specialist School, Adelaide
Students confidently painting process art layers on “Our Sensory Garden Mural” using Pattern Play Collaborative Art. Inclusive group murals and participatory mural art encourage engagement.
"Our Sensory Garden Mural" completed at Suneden Specialist School, Adelaide
Inclusive collaborative school mural completed by specialist school students. Pattern Play Collaborative Art enables participatory mural art and interactive group murals.
Enquire About a School Mural
Teenagers painting the "Find Your Confidence" collaborative school mural in a high school, Adelaide, South Australia
High school students collaboratively created this “Find Your Confidence” mural using Pattern Play Collaborative Art, showcasing interactive group murals and team mural projects.