Arts Unbound hosts 3rd annual festival for those with disabilities

FAIRFIELD, NJ — Arts Unbound, in collaboration with Essex Regional Educational Services Commission and ERESC Superintendent Laurie Newell, will host the third annual Arts Accessible Festival on Friday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the ERESC’s Essex Campus Academy, 369 Passaic Ave. in Fairfield.

The purpose of the art festival is to create a safe and creative space for persons with disabilities and underscore the benefits of visual art in special needs communities through hands-on visual art workshops led by Arts Unbound instructors. The festival is free, wheelchair accessible and open to the public. In 2017, the festival convened more than 250 participants from schools serving special needs children, seniors and organizations working with adults with developmental and physical disabilities.

Each art activity is designed to inspire learning, increase skills and confidence, and engage the participant in developmentally appropriate creative expression. Due to the success of the festival the past two years, Arts Unbound will add more workshops to the program. Some of the workshops will include painting, drawing, mixed media, printmaking, sculpture, jewelry-making and art games. Informational booths for parents will be on hand, along with live music, games and food.

For more information about the festival, contact Director of Arts Education Armisey Smith at 973-675-2787 or at asmith@artsunbound.org.