Grantee Case Study: Creativity Explored
Mission
Partner with people with developmental disabilities to create an artistic, studio-based collective where the creative capacity of any person can flourish. Creativity Explored (CE) does this by placing the work, needs, culture, and experience of artists with developmental disabilities at the center of the community in a way that honors humanity, respects self-agency, and nurtures creative potential.
ACF Commitment
In Spring 2023, Creativity Explored was awarded a $50,000 multi-year grant with a goal of supporting the expansion of the charity's Social Services team, which was launched to support the whole spectrum of each artist's identity and individual needs.
With ACF's help, Creativity Explored supported more than 135 artists with developmental disabilities, providing the means to create and share their art with the community.
During the first year of grant funding, more than 75 CE artists participated in exhibitions at the onsite gallery of Creativity Explored, as well as at offsite galleries, museums, and other third-party exhibition spaces.
Changing Lives
I want to continue what I’m doing. That’s what I love and that is what I enjoy. Ever since I started working on these things, it has changed my life forever!
— Ricardo Estella, CE Artist
Ricardo, who was a legacy artist at Creativity Explored, sadly passed away in December 2024. He had a tremendous impact at CE, and his work and memory serve as a reminder of the power of art, the warmth of community, and the beauty of a life lived creatively.