Local art installation brings international housing initiative to Central Florida
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL (Nov. 5, 2026) – Habitat for Humanity Seminole–Apopka today announced its participation in Habitat for Humanity’s global “Let’s Open the Door” campaign through a local partnership with Art & History Museums Maitland (A&H). The collaboration will bring a series of artist-designed doors to Central Florida this Fall, using creative expression to highlight the importance of safe, affordable housing.
“Let’s Open the Door” is Habitat for Humanity’s global brand campaign, designed to spark a worldwide conversation around housing and inspire action. The campaign invites communities to reflect on what it means to “open the door” to stability and hope, connecting local impact to a broader global movement. Each installation will feature the works of Art & History Museums founder J. Andre Smith who opened the door and provided access to artists, historians and community leaders. He was inspired by local, renowned figures such as his patron Mary Curtis Bok, Eatonville author Zora Neale Hurston, and British American stage actress, Annie Russell. The artists, like today’s Habitat homeowners, put sweat equity into their achievements. The doors become a gateway or bridge encouraging residents to consider how access to safe housing impacts health, education, and economic opportunity.
Through this partnership, Habitat and A&H will translate the global campaign into a locally driven art experience. Custom-designed doors featuring the work of J. Andre Smith will be installed in Maitland, serving as interactive visual landmarks that engage the community while raising awareness of the growing need for affordable housing.
“Let’s Open the Door is about more than awareness, it’s about creating meaningful connections between our mission and the communities we serve,” said Penny Seater, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Seminole-Apopka. “Through this partnership with Art & History Museums Maitland, we’re able to bring that message to life in a way that is creative, accessible, and deeply rooted in our local community.”
Art & History Museums Maitland will lead the artistic curation and community engagement efforts to design doors that reflect diverse perspectives on home and belonging.
“We are excited to partner with Habitat for Humanity on a project that brings together art and social impact,” said Danielle Thomas, Executive Director of Art & History Museums Maitland. “This initiative provides a unique opportunity for artists and community members to explore what home means while helping to elevate an important conversation around housing in our region.”
Installation and activations will premiere at the Art & History Museums Fall Open House on Friday, November 13, 2026. Community members will be invited to engage with the installations through the year and can explore ways to support affordable housing efforts locally.
About Habitat for Humanity
As a Top 50 Habitat home producer nationwide, Habitat for Humanity serves Orange and Seminole Counties and is both builder and land developer. The organization has been creating generational stability by making homeownership possible across Central Florida for over 35 years. Through financial support, volunteer participation, and business partnerships, Habitat constructs and develops affordable homes that are sold to families with low-to-moderate incomes at no profit, and financed with modest mortgages. Homebuyers invest in their futures by completing financial education and helping to build their own homes as well as those of other families through earned “sweat equity” hours. Learn more at habitatseminoleapopka.org.
About Art & History Museums Maitland
Art & History Museums Maitland (A&H) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) cultural institution and premier Central Florida destination, serving the community and global visitors through the arts and history. A&H is a community gathering place that combines art, history, and education across multiple museum sites, including the Maitland Art Center as well as the Maitland Historical Museum, Telephone Museum, and Waterhouse Residence & Carpentry Shop Museum. Through exhibitions, programs, classes, and artist residencies, A&H fosters engagement, creativity, and a deeper appreciation for the region’s cultural heritage.
Media Contact
Lisa Junkerman, Chief Growth Officer, Habitat for Humanity Seminole-Apopka
[email protected] | 407-252-3983
###