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CREATIVE CONNECTIONS ART AND POETRY EXHIBITIONS

The Creative Connections project began after a discussion between a parent and a disability worker about how poets and disability workers could work together and provide an opportunity for people with disabilities to connect more with the community. The parent, Maureen Sexton, is a poet and a member of WA Poets inc. The disability worker had attended the 2005 WA Spring Poetry Festival (organised by WA Poets Inc) and had been impressed by the community atmosphere.

From that discussion, the idea surfaced to organize an art and poetry exhibition. Creative Connections seemed like a good name, as it fitted so well with the aims of the project, which are:

• To demonstrate through creative pursuits, the diverse abilities and personalities of people with disabilities
• To enable people with disabilities, the community and community groups to connect with each other

Creative Connections is a not-for-profit organisation run by a team of people, and supported by many groups and individuals. Click here for more information.

Artist: Michael Hoey 2008

We believe art and poetry are important ways for people to express themselves creatively and we wanted to give artists with disabilities the opportunity to do this and to connect with the community and each other. Working with local poets to achieve these aims has proved to be ideal.

In particular, we wanted this to apply to high-needs people with disabilities, as it was felt that these people have the least amount of opportunity to express themselves creatively and to connect with the community.

Since it began, Creative Connections has grown, and is now organised by a team of people, including poets, parents of artists with disabilities, disability workers and community members.

Some of the positives from the exhibitions are:

positive feedback about the combination of artworks, poetry and profiles

positive public interaction, and bringing understanding, awareness and connection with artists, poets, community individuals and community groups

rewarding for all concerned – acknowledgement and appreciation of the diverse abilities and personalities of the artists through their artworks and the accompanying poetry

positive outcome for disability workers working on the project with residents