A History of Street Art (Lecture)




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Art in the streets (including graffiti, murals, stickers, paste-ups, and other public installations) offers powerful means of expression for marginalized voices, shapes urban environments, and presents competing visions of community life. Unlike art made for museums or the commercial market, street art is often counter-institutional, engaging social issues from critical perspectives. This course examines graffiti and street art in the US and beyond, exploring their histories, motivations, and global connections. Participants will consider the rise of the mural movement, strategies for preserving and presenting street art, its increasing institutionalization, and its potential to foster social change.

Your instructor: Heather Shirey
Heather Shirey, PhD, is a Professor of Art History at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. Her research explores race and identity, migration and diasporas, and the role of monuments, memorials, and street art in shaping public space. As part of the Urban Art Mapping team, she co-created the George Floyd and Anti-Racist Street Art Database. Her work examines how street art documents collective experience and functions as activism, healing, and critical engagement.


Class Dates and Time: Wednesdays, April 1 through May 6
8am Pacific | 9am Mountain | 10am Central | 11am Eastern
Each session is 90 minutes. 
 
 Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Wednesdays via ZOOM 
  • 4/1/2026
  • 4/8/2026
  • 4/15/2026
  • 4/22/2026
  • 4/29/2026
  • 5/6/2026

Class Details

6 Session(s)
Weekly - Wed

Location
Virtual - Any Location

Instructor
Osher Online 

Tuition: 

$70.00

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Schedule Information

Date(s) Class Days Times Location Instructor(s)
4/1/2026 - 5/6/2026 Weekly - Wed 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM N/A, Virtual - Any Location  Map Osher Online 

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