An Excellence in Civic & Community Engagement Programming Awardee

Thursday, August 27th at 1:00 PM ET (12:00 PM CT / 11:00 AM MT / 10:00 AM PT)

Join us this summer for a deep dive into the 2026 Campus Compact Programming & Partnership Impact Award winners. This session, you will hear from the sparc! ArtMobile program. Since 2011, sparc! the ArtMobile—a program of the Center for Art and Community Partnerships (CACP) at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt)—has brought the power of art and design directly into Boston’s neighborhoods. Featuring our boldly painted and retrofitted van, sparc!’s mobility, visibility, and accessibility bring creativity to the street level, creating intergenerational spaces for learning, connection, and joy.

Powered by MassArt students and staff, sparc! partners with local artists, libraries, and community organizations to offer free, hands-on art programs that deepen communities’ engagement with the arts and respond to neighborhood needs for expression and connection. Every project is co-ideated and co-designed with community partners, guided by local insight, shaped by the people and places we encounter, and brought to life by MassArt students—ensuring relevance, accessibility, and shared ownership. sparc! has traveled hundreds of miles, built thousands of relationships, and demonstrated how art, grounded in love and public purpose, serves as a powerful tool for civic engagement, neighborhood collaboration, and social connection.
 

Ekua Holmes

Ekua Holmes, (she/her), joined the Center for Art and Community Partnerships (CACP) in 2010, drawn by its mission to connect MassArt to surrounding neighborhoods. She helped shape what became sparc! the ArtMobile—a community-driven van that delivers creative experiences across Boston, “igniting art and design in the neighborhood.” 

Holmes believes everyone has something to teach and something to learn. From Mattapan to Jamaica Plain and beyond, sparc!’s intergenerational approach welcomes participation from community members ages 2 to 92. 

As Associate Director of CACP and Director of sparc! the ArtMobile, Holmes emphasizes showing up, listening deeply, and building with people, not for them. A lifelong Roxbury resident and practicing artist, she uses art and design as tools for memory, activism, and collaboration. Holmes received her BFA in Photography from MassArt. Her creative journey includes photography, painting, design, curation, community advocacy, and most recently as an illustrator of children’s books and muralist.

She is also the founder and lead artist of the Roxbury Sunflower Project. Now in its eighth year, the project distributes free sunflower seeds and plants mini gardens in neglected and overlooked places, nurturing not only flowers, but seeds of resilience, beauty, and joy.
Holmes’ legacy is rooted in purpose: building bridges, honoring local wisdom, inspiring young artists, and leading with vision, curiosity, and heart.

Isabelle Higgins

Isabelle Higgins (she/her) is a Boston-based artist and community educator. She currently works as Program Manager for sparc! the ArtMobile, an initiative of the Center for Art and Community Partnerships at Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt).
Isabelle earned her BFA in Painting from MassArt and has exhibited nationally. Her painting practice is rooted in storytelling, and through her community work with sparc!, she encourages participants to share their own stories through art. She is dedicated to uplifting and collaborating with local artists from a wide range of backgrounds, highlighting them as both creatives and educators, and emphasizing how art can create mutually beneficial care and connection within communities.

Growing up in Boston, Isabelle developed a deep connection to the city and its neighborhoods, inspiring her dedication to making art accessible and empowering for all communities.

She is passionate about sparc!’s mission to create cross-cultural, multigenerational programs that reflect and respond to the communities she collaborates with. She has led numerous painting workshops for participants of all experience levels, fostering inclusive spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and inspired. Alongside her intergenerational work, she also co-develops programming specifically for youth and seniors, always aiming to connect people through creative expression.