Arts Activities Support

The outcome for the organizations participating in the project is continued work with ArtStart-we believe because of the successful engagement of artists, particularly, to bring out each participants artist within. We have been able to deepen our partnerships and add new partners, an unexpected serendipity, and continue our work with this amazing community of emerging artists. The project achieved the following goals as assessed by the evaluation using informal observation and surveys of key stakeholders: 1.) to increase opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities to communicate feelings and ideas through art making experiences led by an artist and naturalist; 2.) to celebrate and share each participant's unique artistic expression; and, 3.) to deepen partnerships between ArtStart and other community organizations. Certainly the artist-naturalist team was one of the strengths of the project as participants explored nature before participating in the art making portion of the project. A challenging aspect of the project was the reaction of some participants to being in nature. While all chose this experience, when faced with a more open environment, some participants were fearful. Others found it hard to engage all of their senses particularly smell and touch to explore natural objects. The art making sessions at each group's respective home base were most successful, as participants seemed more comfortable in that space. Artists helped each participant keep a portfolio of their art work which ranged from drawings, paintings, prints, and weavings, as well as a mixed media piece inspired by nature exploration. To celebrate their successful completion of the project, the Lifeworks and Kaposia participants displayed their art work in ArtStart's Art Gallery throughout the duration of the project and also at The Show art gallery as part of the April 2016 Art Crawl event. A reception was held at ArtStart for participants and families. TSE participants hosted a reception for the art mural created as part of the project at their site. The art exhibits were the highlight of the project as the artists and naturalist were present and could talk directly to family members and other staff of the organizations involved. Probably, the only difference which we would make to the project is to keep in better communication prior to the grant decision-making process with one of the organizations named in the project (Highland Friendship) who had received a large state grant and could not fit this project into their schedule. We were able to reach 60 adults with developmental disabilities thanks to the wonderful support staff from each organization who helped us identify and select a group of 8-10 participants. The invitation for participants to be part of this project was open to all at a site, but staff from each site had the final word in the composition of the group. Criteria for selection ranged from interest in art to ability to adapt to a new setting. The range of diversity in this project included adults who were mobile to 2 adults who needed wheel chair access. Staff from each organization were present at the workshops to assist the artist-naturalist team with special needs a participant might have. Adults had a range of learning disabilities, but all loved to make art. Another interesting point of diversity that we did not count on and that was quite a contrast, was the way each organization involved in the project saw their work with adults with developmental disabilities. Participants from Lifeworks were involved in a daycare program as they were not yet ready for placement in a community-based work program; TSE participants had jobs within the community and a common work schedule dictated who could participate in the project. Participants from Kaposia had many more independent living skills. Transportation was not an issue for them, as they all knew how to take a bus to The Show located in Lowertown, St Paul, while Lifeworks and TSE participants were brought by van. There was little cultural diversity in the Lifeworks and Kaposia group (1%), but nearly 50% of participants from TSE were culturally diverse.