>>> THERE'S A UNIQUE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, A VISUAL AND PERFORMING
ARTS THAT SERVES HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES LIVING
IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY.
COMMUNITY ACCESS TO THE ARTS HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 1993,
AND AS "CONNECTING POINTS" PRODUCER FOUND OUT, THE PROGRAM
IS A TWO-WAY STREET, GIVING TO BOTH THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND
TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY AS WELL.
>> WHEN SANDY NEWMAN FOUNDED COMMUNITY ACCESS TO THE ARTS
BACK IN 1993, SHE WANTED TO CATER TO A LARGELY DISABLED
INVISIBLE POPULATION.
THE SOLUTION WAS SIMPLE, CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WITH
DISABILITIES TO UNLEASH THEIR CREATIVE SIDE AND CONNECT WITH
THE WIDER COMMUNITY.
>> I DREW A PICTURE OF WHAT I WANTED TO DO, AND I NAMED IT
COMMUNITY ACCESS TO THE ARTS.
YOU KNOW, SORT OF NOTICING AND HONORING EVERY HUMAN BEING FOR
TAKE THEIR ABILITIES AND TALENTS AND
FEELING THESE DIFFERENT POPULATIONS I WORKED WITH WOULD
BE A PERFECT WAY TO BRING THAT INTO THE COMMUNITY AT THE
MUSEUM, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE MISSION, WAS TO HAVE INCLUSION
AND ACCEPTANCE AND UNDERSTANDING NO MATTER WHAT RACE, RELIGION,
OR ABILITY.
>> TODAY, CATA, IS IT'S BETTER KNOWN, OFFERS 1300 WORK SHAPES
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY, AND AS WELL AS THE
TALENTS AND TIMES OF TEACHERS AND VOLUNTEERS, IT'S ALLOWING
PEOPLE WHO MAY BE CHALLENGED IN SOME WAY TO SHARE THEIR
EXPERIENCES TOGETHER.
>> EVERY TIME I WOULD TAKE, LIKE, EVEN THE INDIVIDUALS WITH
SCHIZOPHRENIA, WHEN I TOOK THEM OUT IN A VAN AND BRING THEM TO
CULTURAL VENUES, THEY WOULD START TELLING ME THEIR LIFE
STORIES, THAT THEY NEVER SHARED IN THE SETTING PARTICULARLY.
SO IT'S JUST GETTING TO KNOW PEOPLE FOR WHO THEY ARE AND TO
HAVE THEM BE WELCOMED IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN OTHERS GET TO KNOW THEM, BUILD FRIENDSHIPS AND
RELATIONSHIPS, AND THEN IN DOING THE ARTS, IT JUST ADDS TO IT.
>> YOU'RE LOOKING AROUND.
THIS IS A NEW LAND.
LORI -- >> ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY,
STUDENTS ARE REHEARSING THE PERFORMANCE.
THIS CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF CATA'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
MARGARET KELLER.
>> WE WERE IN THE AUDIENCE, AND WE'RE IMMEDIATELY MOVEED BY THE
WORK WE SAW ON STAGE, AND BY THE POWER OF THE WORK THAT WE SAW ON
STAGE, AND I SPENT MY CAREER IN THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES IN
NONPROFITS, AND CATA'S WORK AND MISSION RES RESINATED WITH ME.
>> IT'S AN FUNDRAISING EVENT FOR THE ORGANIZATION BUT IT IS EYE
OPENING FOR THOSE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY NOT HAVE
EXPERIENCED THOSE WHO ARE DISABLED.
>> MANY PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE SEE THE POWER OF THE ARTS IN
THEIR OWN LIVES, AND SO WHEN WE ASK THEM TO SUPPORT OUR WORKS SO
THAT WE CAN BRING THE ARTS TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, THEY
UNDERSTAND FROM THE BEGINNING.
>> THIS YEAR'S GALA INCLUDED STANDUP COMEDY TO INTERPRETIVE
DANCE, A JUGGLER, AND A SCENE FROM "SHAKESPEARE" ACTED OUT ON
STAGE WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF VOLUNTEERS.
>> STOP, TELL ME THIS, I PRAY.
>> THE WORKSHOPS HELP PARTICIPANTS TO EXPRESS
THEMSELVES TO OTHERS, TO DEVELOP NEW IDEAS, HELP THEM BE MORE
COMFORTABLE IN LARGE GROUPS, AND A HOST OF OTHER SKILLS.
THESE WORKSHOPS CAN TYPICALLY BE LIFE CHANGING FOR TEENAGERS AS
WELL AS ADULTS.
LIKE THE EVENT HELD RECENTLY AT THE LIPTONSTINE CENTER.
>> WE HAD TO FOLLOW ROCK SHAPES IN THE FIELD AND PAINT THEM ON
PAPER.
THESE WATER COLORS.
I JUST FOLLOW THEM AND THEY CAME OUT PRETTY COOL.
>> THE PIZZA PART THAT I DID WAS ALL KINDS OF THINGS, AND IT GAVE
ME INSPIRATION.
AS PEOPLE WHO NEVER DID ART BEFORE, THERE'S NOTHING YOU
CAN'T DO.
>> ABOUT 60% OF CATA'S WORKS HAPPENS IN RESIDENCES, SCHOOLS,
AND ELDER CARE CENTERS.
THE REMAINING 40% OF THE PROGRAMS ARE HELD AT THE GREAT
BARRINGTON STUDIO, OPEN TO ANYONE WHO ENROLLS IN A WORKSHOP
SERIES.
>> I LOVE THE CLASSES I TAKE.
I TAKE SHAKESPEARE, THIS CLASS, THE WRITING CLASS AFTER THIS.
>> I'M MAKING ME SCULPTURE OF MY LITTLE SISTER, WHO LIVES IN
PHILADELPHIA.
WHEN THIS IS ALL DONE, I'M GOING TO PUT CLAY ON IT.
WE WILL LET IT DRY AND PAINT A SKELLTURE OF MY SISTER'S FACE.
>> BEING PART OF CATA FOR THE PAST 18 YEARS, IT'S A LOT OF
FUN.
IT'S BEEN THE BEST THING THAT'S EVER HAPPENED TO ME FOR THE PAST
18 YEARS.
>> THIS PAST JUNE, CATA BROKE GROUND FOR A NEW ART CENTER.
THE 6400 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY WILL DOUBLE THE ORGANIZATION'S
EXISTING STUDIO SPACE, AND AFTER 26 YEARS OF RENTING, CATA WILL
NOW HAVE A TRUE HOME TO ALLOW THEM TO EXPAND THEIR INNOVATIVE
ARTS PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
>>> 75% OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET COMES FROM INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS.
AND THAT TESTIFIES TO THE WAY OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTED WITH
THIS WORK AND WANTS TO SAY THAT THE COMMUNITY THEY LIVE IN IS
ONE ROOTED IN CREATIVITY AND INCLUSION.