A new center with a focus on the therapeutic aspects of art has opened in Orange.
Founded by two board-certified, registered art therapists, Art People provides hands-on creative arts-based services through art therapy, diverse art workshops, gallery exhibits, community involvement and private events.
While programming is available to a wide variety of clients, Art People specializes in working with individuals with intellectual disabilities.
“We firmly believe what we do is for everybody,” said cofounder Kathryn Kelly. “We consistently take the steps to make it accessible for all.”
Kelly and cofounder Jennifer Narcisco have a combined 20 years of experience working with people with disabilities and diverse populations through art therapy. An alternative or complement to talk therapy, art therapy can give people a way to express feelings without needing to find the words. Kelly and Narcisco said they discovered a need for this type of therapy in a population often underserved by traditional psychotherapy services.
Current group art therapy offerings cover a range of focuses, including social, life and workplace skills, coping mechanisms and sensory experiences. Art People also offers after-school art therapy, a neurodiversity-affirming group session for autistic artists and limited individual art therapy sessions.
Art People is also offering a proprietary, customizable inclusive arts training, which teaches skills and knowledge needed to provide elevated arts programming inclusive of all people. The training can be tailored to art therapists, educators, social workers, mental health practitioners, human services agencies and community groups – any organization that wishes to learn how to incorporate the arts into its operations.
“This training teaches participants to think about art programming in a different way: the possibilities of working with someone, instead of the limitations,” Narcisco said.
Art People is located at 291 South Lambert Rd.