ELENA AFIRMATIVA
Del jardín al cole
The project From the Garden to School (June 2018–2019), led by Eva Santos, Elena LM, and Antonio García, brings together a range of participatory art initiatives carried out under the umbrella of the R&D&I project “Public Space and Social Fabric: Collaborative Practices and Contemporary Art in Times of Economic Crisis.”
This initiative stands out for a coherent methodology that involved the entire educational community of CEIP Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente, located in the El Carmen neighborhood of the city of Murcia. The aim was to use participatory art to advocate for the installation of much-needed shade in the school playground to mitigate extreme summer temperatures. The working process included field trips with primary-school students. The goal was twofold: to deepen knowledge of the ecological context—focusing on shade and its effects in the local environment—and to foster an understanding of art as a tool for communication and problem-solving. In parallel, workshops were held with the AMPA (Parents’ Association), resulting in the creation of a symbolic, collaborative awning made from recycled materials and students’ drawings. The project’s originality lies in its ability to fuse artistic praxis with ecological and pedagogical aims, proposing another way of practicing art in today’s society and contributing to knowledge advancement in the arts. The project’s social impact was evident in substantial media coverage, including local press, radio, and television—demonstrating its relevance and reach beyond the immediate educational sphere. This visibility significantly helped raise awareness of the importance of adapting school spaces to climatic needs, while promoting a broader dialogue on art, ecology, and education.







