As we hit our 20-year mark and prepare to close our doors, Upstream Arts is reflecting on the last two decades of incredible work. Today’s highlight: Studio Access
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 marked a huge shift for everyone, Upstream Arts included. As stay-at-home orders came into place, we used our creativity to swiftly pivot to online offerings. We knew that for people with disabilities, social isolation was not new – but for many it was intensified by COVID-19. Building connections has always been a foundation of our programming, and the pandemic asked us to dig into our creative reserves to find ways to continue.
Executive Director Julie Guidry recalled, “Even two weeks before the state of Minnesota started to put restrictions on how people moved around spaces, our child Caleb was already segregated from his community in his group home because of the compromised immune system that he lives with every day.” Because of stigma, historical and ongoing segregation, and the shuttering of service providers, we anticipated that some of our disability community would be more isolated and for longer than people without disabilities.
Relationships are essential to all our well-being, and with the loss of in-person interactions, we responded using the same tools we’ve always used in our classrooms: the creative arts. Within the span of a few weeks, Upstream Arts and our roster of 30+ professional teaching artists nimbly pivoted all of our programming online and created studio ACCESS offerings for continued connection and support.
These studio ACCESS videos were intended to bridge the gap and offer creative connection to anyone and everyone, whether or not they were currently enrolled in an Upstream Arts class. Freely offered to the community, these short interactive videos showcase classic Upstream Arts curriculum, incuding mirroring, rhythms, movement, scenarios, and painting.
You can still view and interact with the studio ACCESS videos here on our website.
