A new exhibition at Thea Foundation in North Little Rock features the curated work of more than 60 Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design students at the University of Arkansas, studying architecture, landscape architecture, and interior architecture and design. 

The school is collaborating with RISE (Reinvest in Students Everywhere) and other partners for the exhibition “ELEVATE: Shaping Spaces, Changing Narratives,” which takes a look at the many faces that continue to make the architecture and design school experience unique. 

The exhibition will be on display Feb. 29 - March 25 at the Thea Foundation, 401 Main St., Suite 100, in North Little Rock. Inside the front door, a wall will feature photos of all students whose work is shown in the display.

An opening reception is planned for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. 

“The Fay Jones School is very pleased to collaborate with the RISE organization, with studioMAIN and with Thea Foundation on this important exhibition,” said Peter MacKeith, dean of the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. “This exhibition, representing the multiplicity of design voices across our enrollment, demonstrates our commitment to the ideal that ‘design is for everyone.’ We hope that the exhibition will inspire young people all across the state to consider architecture, landscape architecture, and interior architecture and design for their futures.”

Ernest Banks, a Black architect in practice at Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects in Little Rock, is a 2018 U of A architecture graduate. He founded RISE (Reinvest in Students Everywhere) in 2021 to be a resource for young architecture students who want to connect with industry professionals and help prepare them for future success in academics through scholarships and mentorship. The RISE program aims to uplift architecture students of color; support allies of diversity, equity and inclusion; and help those in need of financial assistance while in school.

Banks said that one of his most rewarding experiences while in design school was the opportunity for his work to be featured in an exhibit alongside his peers. 

“I never considered myself capable before that moment, but afterwards, I had a newfound confidence and appreciation for what we do as designers,” he said. “With this and RISE’s mission in mind, our team thought it’d be great to create a platform where underrepresented students can proudly have their work on display for the Central Arkansas community to see and appreciate for themselves.”

Alison Turner, director of community education and a teaching assistant professor of architecture in the Fay Jones School, said that she was excited when Banks approached the school’s leadership with an idea for how to bring design to students in Central Arkansas and to showcase student work from the school. 

“It is important for young students to see the value that comes from bringing together a multitude of voices,” Turner said. “Design is for everyone, and in order to create spaces for all of us, designers should be representative of the larger population.”

People from various backgrounds within and outside of the architecture, engineering and construction industry form the programming team for RISE, Banks said. This group makes a conscious effort to ensure that its outreach, educational or otherwise, includes the entire fabric of the community so that these efforts benefit the whole.

“So, when deciding on what this exhibit should focus on, there was no question that we wanted to see the work and ideas from students that represent the many unique backgrounds within the student body at the Fay Jones School, and by extension, the profession as a whole. Their voices deserve to be heard and celebrated, because somewhere there’s a kid like them that needs to hear it.”

With a mix of two-dimensional work and three-dimensional models, the ELEVATE exhibition showcases the work of design students often unheard or unseen within the larger architectural profession. Curated to inspire the local community, this exhibit aims to foster empowerment and visibility through design excellence from the unique perspectives of Fay Jones School design students. 

Turner said that the exhibition displays the diversity of the school both from the perspective of student backgrounds and student voices, but also in representing the three departments of the school — architecture, interior architecture and design, and landscape architecture. 

“It is not often that we get to have such a well-rounded snapshot of design work that is happening at the Fay Jones School in one place,” Turner said. “And for a student to see their work on a wall in a public setting validates all of their hard work and thought that went into their design ideas, and it gives them a platform to share their ideas with others.”

Banks said he and the RISE leadership invite the community to see the transformative power of representation and hope to spark an interest among youth who may not see themselves reflected in the dynamic field of design. 

“We see buzzwords like diversity, equity and inclusion all of the time, but they’re nothing but words until we put some intention behind them,” Banks said. “Sure, donating and making a post here or there is great, but that’s just scratching the surface. When our team created RISE and the scholarship, we knew that we wanted to be more than just a source of funds. We wanted to be a resource of opportunity for underrepresented students (female students, students of color and LGBTQ+ students), and the ELEVATE exhibit is our way of giving back plus interest.”

Banks said he hopes that this exhibition inspires other local youth and encourages them to pursue a design education. 

“Personally, I hope that local young aspiring designers with the passion, but limited access, see the work featured in this exhibit and start asking questions. ‘How can I do that?’ ‘Who do I need to talk to?’ ‘Where can I start?’” Banks said. “The door to design opened up for me when I was young, but I never had someone that could help guide me through it. I feel fortunate that I decided to take the step through myself as an adult, but I can only imagine how things would’ve been if I had someone there for me when I was younger. So, let’s open up some doors and make sure we are on the other side to help others through it.”

This exhibition is presented by the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the U of A, in collaboration with and support from RISE, studioMAIN and the Thea Foundation. 

About the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design: The Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas houses undergraduate professional design programs of architecture, landscape architecture, and interior architecture and design together with a liberal studies program. The school also offers a Master of Design Studies, with concentrations in health and wellness design, resiliency design, integrated wood design, and retail and hospitality design. The DesignIntelligence 2019 School Rankings Survey listed the school among the most hired from architecture, landscape architecture and interior design schools, ranking 10th, 14th and eighth, respectively, as well as 28th among most admired architecture schools.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.