Tom di Maria, Director of the Creative Growth Art Centre in California, will discuss serving artists with disabilities and collaborations with the professional arts sector at an event at Te Papa.

The talk, on Tuesday August 25, is presented with the support of Arts Access Aotearoa. 

The Creative Growth Art Centre is the world's oldest and largest art centre serving artists with disabilities. It is constantly building partnerships with professional artists, organisations and companies.

“At the moment, we’re working with design company Kzo to design a new product line of clothing,” di Maria said. “Another recent partnership is with renowned designer Mark Jacobs to produce a range of products for sale world-wide in Marc Jacobs stores.

“At Creative Growth, our aim is to ensure the work of artists with disabilities is seen for what it is: outstanding new work by contemporary American artists.”

Di Maria is also visiting Sydney, where he will speak at a symposium and exhibition for Arts Project Australia. He will also visit galleries and meet collectors.

Arts Access Aotearoa Executive Director Marianne Taylor said that collaborations between the professional and disability arts sectors are a key way to help achieve the New Zealand Disability Strategy’s vision of an inclusive society.

“Working together, the two sectors can produce work that reflects quality, diversity and difference,” she said. “We’re delighted to bring Tom from Sydney to talk about some of the centre’s inspiring projects and grateful to Te Papa for allowing us to use its Marae.”

When di Maria walked into the Creative Growth Art Centre for the first time in 2000, he was the Assistant Director of the UC Berkeley Art Museum/Pacific Film Archive. He wasn’t looking for a job.

"Seeing an artist unable to use words but expressing  herself to another person through sculpture made me realise that communication is a basic human need," di Maria said. "It was amazing. I had never seen anything like it before.

“Creativity is a path that can be enhanced when other channels of communications are limited. With this understanding, and if given the chance, people with disabilities can become outstanding contemporary artists of our time.”

To date, the Creative Growth Art Centre has positioned more than 140 artists with disabilities in the top realm of the contemporary art world.

In June 2008, di Maria founded Galerie Impaire, the centre’s non-profit gallery in Paris. Galerie Impaire exhibits the work of artists with disabilities, self-taught artists and contemporary artists from around the world. Earlier this year, Wellington artist, curator and academic Stuart Shepherd presented an exhibition of New Zealand art at the Paris gallery.

“Galerie Impaire marks an important next step in the evolution of how artists with disabilities are being seen as part of the contemporary art world,” di Maria said. “By blending self-taught artists, artists with disabilities and contemporary artists, we hope to blur the lines between who's who in the art world and challenge the perception of who the artists of our generation are.”

Following Tom di Maria’s presentation, Stuart Shepherd will talk about his experience of hosting a New Zealand stand at the New York Outsider Art Fair 2009 and curating the Galerie Impaire exhibition.

This free event at Te Papa is open to the public. It will be held from 11am to 1pm on Tuesday 25 August.

Video: Take a tour of the Creative Growth Art Centre with Tom di Maria.

More information: Arts Access Aotearoa, 04 802 4349, artsadmin@artsaccess.org.nz