Able ARTS Work

Able ARTS Work was established in 1982 in response to the historic inequitable treatment and lack of community resources available to autistic and developmentally disabled people. For far too long, these capable individuals were not afforded equal educational, living, leisure, and vocational opportunities. Able ARTS Work was founded as a nonprofit organization to provide inclusive services for those with developmental disabilities and autism through creative arts therapies and education, including music, dance, movement, theater, and visual arts. 

Since 1982, Able ARTS Work has expanded to provide creative arts enrichment to marginalized and underserved communities, as well as at-risk youth throughout Southern California. We forge community partnerships with local businesses and community members in the spirit of social responsibility, as well as the understanding that it is through the arts that substantial growth is possible for everyone and that everyone is entitled to grow. 

At Able ARTS Work, our vision and philosophy is based on psychologist A. Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs: “Love Before Learning. Learn for Life.” The love, support, and sense of belonging that Able ARTS Work has proudly provided since 1982, has helped countless individuals realize their full potential.

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Contact Information

Monica Fernandez
(562) 982-0247
info@ableartswork.org

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Artist Work

Moonscapes (2015)
Moonscapes is a celebration of collaboration representing all resident artists attending Able ARTS Work programs. Five large paintings exhibited in tandem, form an abstract habitat of color and style Moonscapes inhabits another world of bright lines and swift shapes that immerse us in the freedom of artistic discovery.

Link to Moonscapes

Hearts On Our Sleeves (2017)
“Hearts On Our Sleeves” aims to deconstruct naturalized modes of communication, those hegemonic codes such as “proper english” and “high art”, which are responsible for alienating so many from art production By showcasing an alternative material language, it subverts and plays with traditional systems of representation.

Link to Hearts On Our Sleeves

Untitled, (Iron Maiden) (2016)
Who Are You explores the way that we choose to express aspects of our identities through language, clothing, traditions, our diet and our own bodies. The exhibit focuses on how artists play with, manipulate and struggle with the various categories that make up their identities.

CORE 13: Defining Ourselves (2017)
CORE calls to attention similarities, honors differences and expresses that message by presenting an exhibition comprised of artists working from a humanistic point of view. In 2017, CORE asks artists to address themes that unify us all. By sharing dreams, desires, freedoms, fears, threats, - all a part of the human experience, CORE challenges assumptions, rewrites stories and proposes alternate histories.

Link to CORE 13: Defining Ourselves

Echo Trail Sensory Tunnel, A LOT (2013)
A LOT was a city-wide initiative with the Arts Council for Long Beach and The National Endowment for the Arts aimed to activate unused spaces in the community. Able ARTS Work artists created a sensory tunnel where we were able to demonstrate to the community how to not only SEE art but experience it by using all of our senses! Echo Trail aimed to draw attention to collaboration by inviting passersby to play an instrument and reflect on the contributions of others playing as well.

Link to Echo Trail Sensory Tunnel, A LOT

HABITUS CONSTRUCTS (2016)
In collaboration with Olga Lah, Long Beach based artist, Able ARTS Work create a room-size installation made of upcycled foam blocks and other materials "Spatial Sensational" will be a colorful, immersive environment and some of the artworks will be interactive, for guests to play with and rearrange.

Link to HABITUS CONSTRUCTS