Landmarks, the College of Fine Arts’ public art program, will host its third annual Paws for Public Art event on March 12. Designed to promote wellness among students through art and animals, Paws for Public Art brings petting zoos to campus at a variety of Landmark’s art installations.
“The main idea of the event is to serve as a mental health break for students,” said Catherine Whited, Landmark’s education program coordinator. “We hold this event intentionally the week before spring break, because that tends to be when midterms are the heaviest and students are the most stressed out.”
Andrée Bober, Landmarks’ founding director and curator, created Paws for Public Art as a celebration of the organization’s 15th anniversary in 2023. It was such a success that it’s become an annual event. Whited said it was Bober’s idea to bring petting zoos to some of Landmarks’ public art installations. The goal was to highlight how both public art and petting small animals contribute to mental well-being.
Whited said that for most people, the experience of petting an animal immediately makes them feel better because all attention is focused on that specific sensation.
“It might not be obvious to students that you can have this experience with art as well,” Whited said. “You can touch the art, you can listen to it, you can focus on how it makes you feel.”
Landmarks partners with the Longhorn Wellness Center, the division of Healthy Horns responsible for health promotion across campus. They will have tables set up near the petting zoos to promote their program and various mental health support initiatives. Erin Garcia, outreach and social media coordinator for Healthy Horns, said this tabling method is unique compared to their traditional approach.
“As a student walking down Speedway, sometimes you are in a hurry and don’t want to stop at a table,” Garcia said. “But Paws for Public Art has a different vibe. (The students) see the cute little animals, so they want to stop and check it out. It’s nice that we’re right there alongside that.”
This year, Landmarks will also partner with Humanitas for the first time. Humanitas is the College of Liberal Arts student-run, well-being collective that will be tabling outside at the Perry-Castañeda Library.
The companies Tiny Tails to You and Fannie’s Farm Animals will provide all the fluffy creatures.
The petting stations will span Speedway to maximize accessibility to students. Attendees can visit baby goats at Clock Knot near the engineering building and bunnies at Monochrome for Austin, the canoe cluster at the corner of 24th and Speedway. They’ll find guinea pigs and hedgehogs in front of the Gates-Dell Complex at Circle of Towers and chickens right outside the PCL at Square Tilt.
“We wanted to expose this event to as many students as possible and Speedway is one of the main arteries of campus and it just so happens that we have a lot of artwork down Speedway,” Whited said.
Landmarks’ mobile app will offer guests information at the event. Visitors will have access to a specialized mobile tour, guided meditations, exercises and facts on both the animals and art. It will also connect them to various mental health resources.
“This event is a good way for students to remember that, even though things are heavy, there are people on campus that care about their well-being,” Garcia said. “There’s definitely research out there that proves engaging with art is therapeutic. It takes that minute for you to look at it and while you’re doing so, you find yourself relaxing your shoulders. You find yourself unclenching your jaw. It’s one of those things I think is super special.”
