04/20/2026
This past month, we had an incredible time with our 2026 IAC Trojan Junior Warriors! 🎨
Over four days, 180 local fifth graders from Troy Elementary School and Pike Liberal Arts School joined us at the IAC, alongside our friends from Troy University’s International Programs, for a hands-on experience filled with creativity, exploration, and cultural exchange.
Students had the unique opportunity to create artwork using handmade papers and materials from featured artist-in-residence Douglas Pierre Baulos—and even display their work in the gallery for a month. They also screen printed their own t-shirts, adding another layer of creativity to the experience.
Through our partnership with Troy University’s International Programs, students explored global traditions by trying on a dragon costume, learning a traditional dance, and creating bracelets and paper crafts. After a full morning of activities, everyone enjoyed lunch at Trojan Dining, courtesy of the IAC and Sodexo.
This program is something we look forward to every year, and we’re proud to have welcomed local fifth graders since 2017, bringing in over 1,400 students over the years.
A big thank you to Rebekah Alexander for leading the art project, Mary Brooks, Sarah Carlson, and Angel Dover for their help with art and screen printing, and Austin Deal and Silvia Li for coordinating with International Programs. We’re also grateful for our IAC student staffers—Toby Cooper, Taylor Gray, and Madison Hayes.
And a HUGE thank you to Alabama State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts for their generous support through grant funding.
These experiences are truly invaluable. If you’d like to help support programs like this, consider reaching out to your elected representatives to advocate for the arts!
Troy University Alabama State Council on the Arts National Endowment for the Arts Troy Elementary School Pike Liberal Arts School
