Comments on: The Problem with Art Programs Targeting People with Disabilities

By: Manijeh

Manijeh — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:35:02 +0000

I’d rather see my son in a studio setting creating than in an institution.

By: Gabrielle

Gabrielle — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:24:15 +0000

Wow! Yes. Someone else is saying exactly what I have been feeling. Thank you for putting it in words. What now?

By: Barb McKenzie

Barb McKenzie — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 13:29:04 +0000

In their writings and workshop titled, HELL-BENT ON HELPING: Friendship, Benevolence, and the Politics of Help, Norm Kunc and Emma Van der Klift offer that, “The rights of people with disabilities will become permanent only when we are able to move beyond benevolence and achieve a social perspective where disability itself is valued.” They suggest and I agree that such things as buddy systems, many forms of what schools call ‘inclusion classrooms’, telethons, and certainly any form of segregated program that ‘supports’ people with disabilities such as sheltered workshops or separate art programs, “often serve the helpers as much (if not more) than those helped…While benevolence and charity towards others are often seen as admirable goals, they do not necessarily presuppose equity or respect.”
I experienced this attitude last year when I talked with a local store in Columbus, Ohio that prides itself on selling products that benefit those producing them directly and supports social justice and was still offering items from Passion Works. When I suggested that the artists were not getting reimbursed directly for their works and that the money was going toward the program instead, the woman I spoke with said that she had visited Passion Works and thought that the people (without disabilities) in charge of the program were doing so much for these people and that the money was needed to support the program. This woman could not get past the wonderfulness of the helpers and the great needs of those being helped.
How does that support equality or social justice?

By: Its Time to End Apartheid in America « Art of Possibility

Its Time to End Apartheid in America « Art of Possibility — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:48:48 +0000

[...] About Candee’s Weblog The Problem with Art Programs Targeting People with Disabilities [...]

By: deanjbaker

deanjbaker — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:47:27 +0000

thanks for this, interesting to see

By: » Art and Social Change

» Art and Social Change — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:01:40 +0000

[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptYou have to look hard to find out the connection, but ATCO is a department of the Athens County Board of Mental Retardation. The ATKO building serves as a sheltered workshop and Passion Works is the art-making division. … [...]