Art-Abled was created to ensure that children with disabilities can showcase their artistic capabilities and are given equal opportunities to contribute to the community.
In 2009 the first Art-Abled project was launched to support the teaching and involvement of disabled people in artistically therapeutic projects. Art-Abled helps to develop skills of disability teachers, as well as challenge perceptions and raise awareness round people with disabilities in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Middle East.
The aim of this project is to promote art and creativity among all factions of society especially those without a voice, and to also demonstrate that even the most severe disabilities are not an obstacle to creativity and artistic expressions.
The British Council has engaged with therapeutic artists from the UK "tutubi" and also partnered with award winning disability artist Rachel Gadsden.
In 2017-2018, Art-Abled was delivered in partnership with HSBC Bank in Bahrain, providing teacher training and children workshops by Dalal Al Sindi, Tutubi and Ateqa Al Taitoon for three disability schools/ centres in Bahrain. At the end of the programme, the students' artwork was exhibited in a public exhibition in Saar Mall.
What does Art-Abled involve?
Our future plans are expanding and we hope to do more for disadvantaged people, to ensure they are not marginalised in our community."
Art-Abled started as a humble art exhibition showcasing the work of children with disabilities and learning difficulties and has blossomed building on its initial success to involve:
- Therapeutic art workshops for children with disabilities and learning difficulties, parents, teachers and carers.
- Therapeutic workshops based on various techniques developed by the artists.
- Exciting live outdoor art performances.
- Art and Drawing workshops.
- Arts residency programmes for artists with disabilities or learning difficulties from around the Gulf.
"Children create art because it is rooted in their need to relate to the world; hence we truly believe that Art-Abled is a programme that will make a difference in their lives and the lives of their families and carers. Our future plans are expanding and we hope to do more for disadvantaged people, to ensure they are not marginalized in our community."
Rayyah Fathalla
For anyone interested in learning more about Art-Able or would like to participate and contribute more to the project please contact us on +973 17 266166.