Everyone deserves an opportunity to create! That is why we are creating the ASK4Art Activity Book! The ASK4Art Activity Book with video instruction is being created specifically for people with developmental disabilities. It is a resource for teachers, care takers, family, and friends to guide their loved ones in art creation!
Outside the lines Studio in Medford, MA is a nonprofit that has been working with people with developmental disabilities since 1995 in the Boston area. We give artist's with developmental disabilities recognition through public galleries and permanent installations. We want to bring these opportunities to more individuals through the ASK4Art Project!
Currently there are a number of individuals living in group homes in the Boston area with no access to the arts. We have begun this project testing different art activities with 40 individuals with various developmental disabilities. After 8 weeks of art instruction in two different group homes we will create an instruction book with visual step by step instruction. During our 8 weeks of art instruction we will film the art activities adding a video guide to the finished ASK4Art Activity Book. By the end we will bring recognition to these new artists in local art galleries and allow them to have their work on display in permanent installations.
When will this project be complete?
We have begun testing a number of art activities and tailoring them to individual abilities. By the end of our 8 week training and monitoring of individual abilities we will narrow our ASK4Art activity book down to the top 15 art activities. The art activity descriptions will incorporate best practices learned over the 8 weeks. Descriptions will include different ways to tailor the activity to varying abilities.
Once we have the newly designed activities we will film one of our staff and Outside the Lines artist as they work on the activity. This will serve as an additional reference in the ASK4Art activity book.
The 8 weeks of art activity instruction and monitoring will be completed by December 16, 2013. By January 31 we will have our 15 art activities updated, written, and incorporate step by step photos. The how to video of the art activities will be complete by February 24, 2014. ASK4Art Books and accompanying DVDs will be created in March 2014 in time for Developmental Disability Awareness month.
Risks and challenges
Creating art projects that incorporate the skills of multiple individuals with each of their own types of developmental disabilities will be challenging. Our staff has experience and training with many types of individuals and will be able to redesign the activities to fit specific needs but in some cases we may have to rely on an instructor or friend to assist the individual in the art creation process.
We also have a lot of different art activities so narrowing them down will be difficult but we believe our 8 weeks of art activities and monitoring the needs of 40 different individuals will help us pick the best art activities to include in our final ASK4Art Activity Book.
We have a very creative staff with many different connections in the Boston art community. Once we have the financial resources we will be able to produce an art book specific to the needs of people with developmental disabilities and give their family, friends, and loved ones a resource to help them create. We hope we can make this book a reality. We look forward to the challenge!
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Funding period
- (39 days)