April 1, 2020

Art of Accessibility Celebrates Diversity

 

On September 6, 2019, the halls of The Independence Center (The IC) buzzed with activity duringits award-winning Art of Accessibility (AoA) event. As part of the Downtown Partnership’s First Friday Artwalk, AoA showcases brand new exhibits that honor the visual artistry created by people with disabilities and their community. The works of 40 artists were on display, and encompassed a wide variety of media including pixel art, acrylic, metal art, watercolors, pencil drawings, photography, and mixed media.

For the first time at the event, The IC also celebrated the art of the spoken word with an Open Mic Night. Participants signed up for a 3-minute slot and shared stories, read poetry, sang Karaoke, or performed stand-up comedy.

Bethany Monk, Development Manager at The IC, coordinated the event with the help of nine volunteers. According to Monk, AoA offers something for everyone.

“From experienced artists, to artists who are new to showcasing their work, The Art of Accessibility draws an array of talented people who turn our downtown building into a beautiful art gallery where creativity is encouraged and celebrated,” she said. “Our gallery is also unique in that most of our artists attend the event. This gives people the chance to really get to know the artists and talk to them one-on-one about their artistic process.”

The next Art of Accessibility event will be held on September 4, 2020, and The IC is always looking for new artists. If you or someone you know is interested in participating, visit bit.ly/theicaoa, email ArtOfAccessibility@the-ic.org, or call 719-471-8181, ext. 222 for more information.