Williamstown — Community Access to the Arts (CATA) will be holding a “Meet CATA Artists” event at the Clark Art Institute’s Lunder Center on Tuesday, August 20, at 1 p.m.
The nonprofit organization was founded in 1993 and offers workshops in art, performance art including dance and theater, and physical activities including yoga and dancing.
The event is part of CATA’s annual art show, “I Am Part of Art,” which opened earlier this summer. The exhibit includes over 200 pieces of art in multiple styles including abstract and representational paintings, drawings, photographs, and collages.
”The title of the exhibit, ‘I Am Part of Art,’ conveys the sense of belonging that our CATA artists with disabilities feel and experience in our programs when they create art and express themselves,” Program Director Kara Smith told The Berkshire Edge. “It’s all about a sense of belonging, which is emblematic of what CATA’s mission is, which is really to create a community of inclusion through art.”
This year marked CATA’s 30th anniversary. ”I think that CATA has lasted for so long because its mission has really resonated with the Berkshire County community,” Smith said. “People see the work that CATA does, and they see the impact and how important it is. They recognize that this is the type of community that they want to live in, one where everyone’s contributions are valued and seen.”
Smith said that inclusivity is an overall theme for CATA’s programs. ”CATA’s work is really about breaking down the barriers that people with disabilities have historically faced,” Smith said. “They have had very few opportunities historically to engage with the arts, express themselves, and share their perspectives with the broader public. Our work is both about breaking down those barriers [and] giving them a sense of inclusion and belonging through the arts. I think that exhibit speaks to this.”
For more information about CATA, visit its website.
