Art and Sustainability

Sister Cities Celebrate Shared Values Around Art and the Environment

Neighbors Abroad’s rainwater capture project in Oaxaca revealed a paradox: impactful environmental programs often operate invisibly. The organization developed the Art & Sustainability Program to leverage visual art’s transformative power to highlight sustainability initiatives across Palo Alto’s Sister Cities.

Program Goal: “To leverage the transformative power of visual art to focus attention on inspiring sustainability projects in Palo Alto and our Sister Cities.” Viewers encounter art in public venues, and QR codes adjacent to artwork link to information about related sustainability initiatives in specific cities.

The initiative launched in April 2022 in San Nicolas Yaxe, an indigenous community near Oaxaca. Art from multiple Sister Cities was displayed on water tanks previously installed by Neighbors Abroad, transforming functional infrastructure into an outdoor gallery. Artwork was also exhibited in Oaxaca City Hall.

The organization plans to exhibit art from Sister Cities in public venues in Palo Alto and participating Sister Cities. Each location selects a local artist and highlights a sustainability project.

“As we roll out the exhibits in Palo Alto and around the world, we invite viewers to appreciate how art speaks to all of us, across cultures and languages.”

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