The Marfa Studio of Arts proudly continued its 21st year of the SITES (Studio in the Elementary School) program with a summertime project unlike any other: “School of Forts”. This free, month-long art and architecture workshop invited Marfa ISD youth to imagine, design, and construct an ambitious collaborative fort directly in the heart of town.
Photo by Sam Dwyer

Building Skills, Confidence, & Community

Led by artists Sam Dwyer and Abel Rodgers, students spent four weeks learning hands-on skills in design, construction, collaboration, and safe tool use. Each week, a different age group took the lead. Younger students created the foundation. Middle groups expanded and shaped the structure. Older students finalized details and reinforced stability.
Along the way, students documented their work through drawings, photos, and written reflections, which later became part of an accompanying gallery exhibition.

A Fort That Became a Landmark

Constructed entirely from recycled and donated materials, the fort rose just outside the Marfa Studio of Arts gallery on Highway 90. Visible to the whole community as it grew. By the end of June, it stood an impressive 15 feet tall and 15 feet wide, quickly becoming a local attraction. Drivers honked enthusiastically at the students’ sign: “Honk if you like our fort!”
Photos by Sam Dwyer  

Support That Makes This Possible

This project was funded in part by the TCA (Texas Commission on the Arts), Arts Respond Project, the MSA Program Fund, and a special gift of building materials from the First Presbyterian Church of Marfa and Marfa Hardware.
The Summer Shakeup program is a collaborative effort between
  • Marfa Studio of Arts
  • Ballroom Marfa
  • Chinati Foundation
  • Marfa Live Arts
Together, these organizations provide economically disadvantaged and at-risk youth with free, high-quality arts programming across the summer.

Our Mission Continues

MSA’s year-round SITES program has been made possible through generous support from foundations including the Mitchell Foundation, King Foundation, Texas Cultural Trust, Marfa Education Foundation, Texas Commission on the Arts, Brown Foundation, and Permian Basin Area Foundation.
Private community support is vital for sustaining and expanding these opportunities. Please consider donating to help us continue offering free arts education to the children of Marfa