21 participants in a therapeutic arts show their work at the Alleyway Theatre

Art is the produce of the ego, the self as distinguished from others, between the person and reality. The goal of making art facilitated in a session with an art therapy program participant is to inspire the person to reawaken or maintain his or her ego, using the art activity as a force to sustain an experience of individuality, which allows for a personal contribution to artistic expression and communication. Over many years as an art specialist to special needs populations, especially adult daycare participants, I have often displayed work created during program activities. Observations from visitors to exhibits are sometimes framed along the lines of, “The work is interesting, but it isn’t really art, is it?” or ”It’s awesome, but have you found a way to market it?”

How to reply to such remarks in the context of a therapeutic activity, given the commonly accepted view that artwork must be somehow sanctioned as a valid creative expression and marketable in order to have material value? The spurious questions of validity and value aside, the public display of the art created ina therapeutic environment is part of the total process. It is, in the best case, a causal therapeutic intervention, and the product is both valid and valued, notwithstanding any critical or financial outcome.

People Inc.’s fine arts day habilitation program for adults with developmental disabilities focuses on self-expression within the arts, from music, drama, visual arts, and creative writing to dance aerobics. Classes are offered in both morning and afternoon sessions and are facilitated by qualified artists and educators in their particular fields of expertise. The program, called the “Arts Experience” and housed in a studio at 4839 Union Road, opened last April and now has 30 artists attending. In just nine months these artists have created, performed, written, and attended numerous artistic works.

“People Inc. saw the potential in this program and worked to make it happen,” said Michelle Taylor, the program’s administrator.

The current exhibition at Alleyway Theatre features 21 artists in residence from the day program and runs through March 1 in the mezzanine gallery. It is more than worth a visit.

—j. tim raymond