After receiving the TED Prize in 2011, JR launched the Inside Out Project as an experiment. Using his own artistic practice as inspiration, this participatory art platform helps communities to make a statement by displaying large-scale black and white portraits in public spaces. The Project was designed to only last one year, but through the dedication and enthusiasm of participants around the world, Inside Out is now the largest participatory art project in the world! More than half a million people have participated in the Project, adding their portrait to Actions in over 150 countries and territories.
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A Group Action is when people come together to create their own public art installation in a location of their choice. Participants take portraits of community members who stand behind their message. The Inside Out team then transforms these portraits into larger-than-life black-and-white posters that are sent to the community by mail to be pasted in a public space. Inside Out Actions have revolved around a range of topic such as feminism, diversity, racism, climate change, children's rights, and much more. All installations are documented and shared online, giving each local messages a global reach.
The Inside Out Photobooths allow the public to participate in the Project instantly and for free. Participants enter the Photobooth and our our camera snaps their portrait. Within a few minutes, a printed black and white poster comes out the side of the photobooth. Posters are pasted in a nearby public space, creating an artwork with the faces of the participants. Over 270,000 people have stepped into the Photobooths around the world. As an engaging and accessible artistic intervention, the Inside Out Photobooths have educated the public and sparked conversations about voter registration, immigration, the issues of misinformation, peace-building, and more.
Inside Out Actions are a natural tool for educators and students to explore subjects in a playful and engaging way. Since 2022, Education Actions have made up more than half of all Group Actions worldwide. With the support of educators, the Inside Out Project has developed a curriculum and other resources to help Group Leaders create Actions that fit their unique educational setting. Since the start of the Project in 2011, more than 8,000 students in over 450 schools have engaged in creating public art through their Actions and used their voice to speak up about issues they care about.
Inside Out prides itself on making art accessible to all. The vast majority of Group Actions around the world are subsidized in part or in full by the Project, meaning that we support all communities to bring art to their streets no matter the resources they may have available. Whether it be a refugee community in the Sahara Desert or a public school in New York City, cost is never a barrier for participation. Help us grow the Inside Out Project and continue sharing people’s stories through works of public art!
