Artist Rouble Nagi is using community-driven art to turn underserved spaces in India into visual-literacy classrooms through the ‘Living Walls of Learning’ initiative.
This movement seeks to dismantle traditional barriers to education by integrating learning into the physical environment of the students. By transforming slums into open-air classrooms, the project addresses the gap in mainstream education for children in marginalized areas.
Nagi, who was named the Global Teacher Prize 2026 recipient [2], focuses on reimagining education beyond the confines of a standard blackboard. The initiative utilizes art to foster visual literacy, and create inclusive learning experiences for those who lack access to formal schooling [1].
The project targets children in underserved communities and slums across India [3]. By utilizing the walls of these neighborhoods, Nagi aims to provide a bridge that leads students back into the mainstream educational system [1].
Reports said the initiative has reached nearly one million children [4]. The approach emphasizes community-driven art to ensure that the learning environments are culturally relevant, and accessible to the residents of the areas where the walls are painted [1].
This methodology allows education to happen organically within the community's daily life. The project transforms the gray infrastructure of urban slums into vibrant tools for literacy, turning the neighborhood itself into a teacher [3].
“The ‘Living Walls of Learning’ initiative uses art to turn underserved community spaces into visual‑literacy classrooms.”
The 'Living Walls of Learning' project represents a shift toward decentralized education, where the environment serves as the primary pedagogical tool. By integrating literacy into public art, the initiative lowers the threshold for entry into education for children in extreme poverty, potentially increasing enrollment rates in India's formal school systems.
