Art Centers for Adults with Disabilities

The environments to which adults with disabilities are exposed (mental hospitals, sheltered workshops, family care homes, convalescent and nursing homes, etc.) often lack stimulation and provisions for growth and self-fulfillment. Failure, frustration and isolation are an everyday affair. Furthermore, during the past 50 years there has been a large-scale transfer of people with disabilities from large, remote, often dismal state residential institutions to community facilities. Above all, there is growing awareness by the general public that persons with disabilities can live more fruitful, productive and independent lives if they are provided with appropriate inclusive programs in the community, including creative and cultural experiences and opportunities for self-determination.

Prior to 1970, there is virtually no reference to any relationship between art and disability. Since then, there is some realization of the many ways in which art and disability are connected. (Allen & Allen; Mac Gregor; National Endowment for the Arts) For one thing, until the 1970s, there were virtually no art centers for people with disabilities; in 2001 there were at least 35 art centers serving people with disabilities in the United States, and many similar centers in other countries. Those centers provide creative experiences to thousands of artists with disabilities, employing hundreds of artists as artist-teachers, and selling thousands of dollars' worth of art created in the art centers. Furthermore, there have been several major conferences and workshops dealing with the creative work of artists with disabilities. Finally, the first Art and Disability Collection was established in 2001, in the Disability Studies Program at the University of California, Berkeley, making available books, videotapes, posters, archives for reference and study.

Definitions

The art center for adults with disabilities is a new type of program designed to meet the needs of participants for expressing themselves and exhibiting their art. These centers are based on the premise that "creative self-expression in the arts is the outward manifestation in an artistic form of what one feels internally. This expression may find its outlet in painting, sculpture, music, dance, poetry or in other forms. It may be inspired by what one sees or experiences in the environment or a transformation of it; or it may be a reaction to inner moods, feelings or sensations. The essence of this definition is that creativity lies within the individual and must be expressed for well-being and growth (Ludins-Katz & Katz).

In the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was enacted in 1990, "the term 'disability' means with respect to an individual (A) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual, (B) record of such an impairment; (C) being regarded as having such an impairment" (Public Law 101-336).

The art center for adults with disabilities has been defined as "a full-time supportive and stimulating environment without pressure, threat or competitiveness in which creative work in painting, sculpture, print-making, creative crafts, etc., is carried on in a studio setting by people with mental, physical or social disabilities" (Ludins-Katz & Katz).

Mission and Goals

The mission of most art centers for people with disabilities is to provide an art program that promotes creativity, independence, dignity and community integration. To carry out this mission the following goals have been articulated for individual participants, and for the organization as a whole.

Goals for the individual participant include:

Artistic development: The center provides opportunities for individual creative growth. As the artist with disabilities works he or she changes and progresses. Each stage has its own characteristics and excitement. There is no limit to what level of expressive accomplishment a person can achieve.

Creation of work of high artistic merit: Each person no matter how limited intellectually, emotionally or physically, is capable of artistic achievement at some level.

Integration of the personality through creative arts: The act of creating serves as a catalyst in mobilizing strengths in the person to form a total productive personality. Artists with disabilities learn to focus on their creative work.

Enhancement of self-esteem: Through their ability to express themselves, artists with disabilities develop a positive self-image. Recognition of their artistic efforts by others who see their work displayed in the gallery and other venues gives them feelings of worth that carry over into other aspects of daily life.

Strengthening of ability to make decisions for oneself: Making decisions about creating a work of art is encouraged and respected. The artist with disabilities must constantly make artistic choices as to subject matter, design, techniques.

Expression of inner feelings and moods: Artists with disabilities may express their inner conflicts, dreams, fantasies. This act many help the artist understand and deal with these feelings.

Improvement of communication skills and coordination: Each person is encouraged to express his feelings in verbal communications. Eye-hand coordination is improved through constant practice in painting, ceramics, print making, and other art media.

Development of independent living skills, prevocational and vocational training: The center provides for some participants the opportunity to carry on productive work in the art field.

Organizational goals include:

Marketing of art: The art center exhibits the work created in the studio. This can be in the art center's gallery, as well as in other spaces like art galleries, private companies, government buildings.

Prevention of inappropriate institutionalization: The center is part of the array of community services that are available so that persons with disabilities need not be sent to mental retardation and mental-health facilities.

Involvement of the general public through exhibits, publications, educational events, etc.: The center staff stays in close touch with the immediate community including mental-health professionals, artists and the public interested in art and disability.

A Brief History

Prior to the 1970s, there was one art center for adults with disabilities, which was founded in 1968 by Ms. Wilmer James, a potter, at the Exceptional Children's Foundation, Los Angeles, Calif. This art center continues to the present.

In 1972, after many discussions of the needs of adults with disabilities for a full-time art program, my wife Florence Ludins-Katz, a painter, and myself, a psychologist, decided to establish such a center. Since we had no models to replicate (we did not learn about the Los Angeles art center until 1975), we designed and implemented a new program, "Creative Growth," using the following guidelines:

• The art center would be closely connected with the arts community and the art world.

• The studio space would be an "open studio" where the participating artists with disabilities would be free to select their space to work, with freedom to create.

• Professional artists would be employed to encourage the artists with disabilities to express themselves to the full extent of their creativity.

• An art gallery managed by a professional curator would exhibit and sell art by the artists with disabilities.

• The art center would be full-time, five days a week.

In 1975, Creative Growth (the name was changed to Creative Growth Art Center in 1983) received a three-year Research and Demonstration Grant from the U.S. Administration on Developmental Disabilities which provided funds to establish the model of an art center for people with disabilities.

In 1981, we left Creative Growth to write, lecture and establish new art centers. During 1981-1982 we founded and directed Creativity Explored of San Francisco, and Creativity Unlimited of San Jose, and in 1984, the National Institute of Art and Disabilities (NIAD) in Richmond, Calif. These three centers continue to the present.

In 1974, Mary Short (wife of former California State Senator Alan Short) decided to establish an art center for adults with developmental disabilities in Stockton, Calif. She had visited Creative Growth and was impressed by the model. Mrs. Short founded the Alan Short Center in Stockton in 1975. She subsequently founded Short Center-North and Short Center-South, in Sacramento. These art centers continue to the present.

Since the 1980s, more than 25 art centers for people with disabilities were founded in California influenced by the model demonstrated by ourselves, Mrs. Short and others. Similar art centers were started in other states, as well as in Canada, Denmark, France, Japan, (Harima; Nishigaki) and Scotland.

Observations

Since the 1970s, I have visited many art centers for adults with developmental disabilities in the United States and other countries, and observed many benefits to the artists with disabilities attending these programs:

• Over time, there usually are changes in the artwork created. In some artists there may be rapid change in color, shape, detail, and subject matter. In others there may be a very slow growth in their expression of these elements.

• Since creativity is emphasized, each person is encouraged to seek more personal choices, to select themes and resources.

• Many artists with disabilities have never (or rarely) expressed their feelings or moods, especially those which are related to fears, anxiety, depression. In the art studio, they are able to express their feelings through a variety of media, thereby allowing for release of pent-up feelings.

• Many people with disabilities have been neglected, denigrated, and made to feel inferior. In the studio, each artist with disabilities is treated with respect as a productive, expressive person. The self-image as a creative artist is emphasized, and frequently incorporated into their art by the artist.

• We have frequently seen instances where the artists with disabilities become more expressive in spoken language, as they discuss their art with their artist-teachers and with their colleagues and visitors to the studio and gallery.

• When artists with disabilities use paints, clay, linoleum blocks and cutting tools, they develop greater skills in using these materials and equipment.

• Basic activities of daily living and elementary demands, such as being on time, paying attention to instructions, as well as skills like manipulating clay and operating a printing press can be practiced in the studio setting, and may lead to full-time or part-time jobs.

Conclusion

It is difficult to explain why the number of art centers for people with disabilities has increased from virtually none to dozens in the space of three decades. While there are variations in goals, methods and funding, there is little question that highly creative self-expression is taking place, with much praise for the power and freedom of each participant. Such organizations as VSA arts, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C., and the National Arts and Disability Center have promoted an awareness of the needs of people with disabilities to express themselves creatively in the arts. Art centers for people with disabilities have emerged to meet this need.

References

Allen, Anne & Allen, George, "Everyone Can Win: Opportunities in the arts for the disabled." (McLean, Va. 22101: EPM Publications Inc.), 1988.

Harima, Yasuo, "Able Art: The artist of the soul today." (Nara, Japan: Tanpopo-No-Ye Foundation), 1996.

Ludins-Katz, Florence & Elias Katz, "Art and Disabilities: Establishing the creative art center for people with disabilities." (Cambridge Mass.: Brookline Books), 1990.

MacGregor, John, "Dwight Mackintosh: The boy who time forgot." (Oakland, Calif.: Creative Growth Art Center), 1992.

National Endowment for the Arts, and President's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped, "Profiles in the Arts." (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office), 1986.

Nishigaki, Chuichi, "Art Incognito: Thirty years of Mizunoki Workshop." (Tokyo, Japan: Lampoon House Co., Ltd.), 1994.

Public Law 101-336, The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (as amended).

Elias Katz, Ph.D., ABPP, is president and co-founder (with Florence Ludins-Katz) of the National Institute of Art and Disabilities in Richmond, Calif. The Katzes wrote "Art and Disabilities: Establishing the Creative Art Center for People with Disabilities."

Original CAN/API publication: February 2002