Woodrow Wilson High School part of innovative Pop-up

By Juliette Coulter

SPARK! Dallas, the innovative educational facility fostering creativity in youth, announced a groundbreaking partnership with arts and entertainment company Meow Wolf. The PRISMATIC Art Pop-up Experience features 28 area high school artists’ creations. The colorful exhibition is an immersive experience showcasing the students’ creativity through a variety of themed areas imagined, designed and built in a single color and theme. The community is invited to see the PRISMATIC Art Pop-up Experience from now until September 29 at SPARK!, located at Southside on Lamar (1409 Botham Jean Blvd., Suite #004, Dallas, TX 75215). 

Meg Bittner, executive director of SPARK! Said: “As an inaugural grantee of the Meow Wolf Foundation for 2023-2024, SPARK! Dallas is honored to announce Meow Wolf Grapevine as a presenting sponsor, which will contribute to the success of the PRISMATIC Art Pop-up Experience. This partnership not only provides financial backing, but also offers amazing opportunities for student enrichment, including behind-the-scenes tours at Meow Wolf Grapevine, mentorship from Meow Wolf’s Exhibitions team members and funding for materials.”

SPARK! received 22 submissions, and the following six public high schools were selected to participate based on their creativity, design elements and proposal submission: 

• CityLab High School (Dallas ISD) – Dream Cream(sicle) (coral) 

• Hillcrest High School (Dallas ISD) – Fungi Delight (red) 

• Newman Smith High School (Carrollton/Farmers Branch ISD) – Orange Lovers (orange)

• West Mesquite High School (Mesquite ISD) – Snake Eyes (green)

• Williams High School (Plano ISD) – Automation Biker Frogs (purple)

• Woodrow Wilson High School (Dallas ISD) – Moonlight Sonata (blue) 

In addition to being the presenting sponsor and major funder for this initiative, Meow Wolf Grapevine is offering mentorship to the students and an opportunity to show the community their artistic creations come alive when the exhibition opens.

“I am thrilled to mentor SPARK! Dallas students to inspire and empower young creators,” said Exhibition Manager for Meow Wolf Grapevine Christy Howell. “This PRISMATIC Art Pop-up Experience offers students a platform to unleash their imagination and creativity. This partnership epitomizes the dynamic convergence of art, technology, and engineering, offering students an unparalleled chance to delve into immersive design concepts.”

“Partnering with SPARK!, we are eager to see these innovative projects,” said Lead Exhibition Technical Engineer at Meow Wolf Daniel Bornhorst. “Meow Wolf Grapevine specializes in integrating traditional art with cutting-edge technology to create immersive experiences. From sound processing and lighting to scent design, we blend various elements to craft truly unique experiences which makes this partnership perfect.” 

Bittner added: “These public high school students are amazingly talented, and I am impressed with how they have thoughtfully sketched and are creating their rooms into an interactive and immersive pop-up experience perfect for social media moments. I invite everyone to come see it and celebrate these students’ success.” 

Learn more about the event at sparkdallas.org.