About
Creative Like Me is a collaboration between Fulton County Arts and Culture (FCAC) through the Public Art Program, and the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (BHDD). This award-winning initiative seeks to provide creative learning opportunities to individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities that meet their individual learning needs.
In 2019, Creative Like Me won an award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) at its annual convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. The award was for innovation and identifying a program serving an under-served segment of the population, and could be replicated across the country.
Project description
The COVID-19 pandemic saw the closure of BHDD facilities and art centers, leading to the need to re-think how the initiative could continue in a virtual setting. Creative Like Me - Our New Normal is a groundbreaking proposal to have individuals with IDD develop art that reflects how the global COVID 19 pandemic impacted their lives. This exhibit is unique because it involves the inclusion of an often under-served population in the arts and gave them a voice to show how their lives were affected by the coronavirus.
Over an 8-week program (phase 1) and a subsequent 16-week program (phase 2), participants were provided with a simple brief to help them explore the theme in various ways. In addition, they are provided with simple tips and tools to improve their photography. Finally, to encourage creative thinking, they were also provided with mini-art activities (‘Artsicles’) that require only found materials or limited art supplies.
Links to the teaching materials