Dear CATA friends,

If you could step into the CATA Studios, here’s what you’d see: CATA artists rebuilding and reconnecting, in many cases after three of the most difficult years of their lives.

You’d see people with disabilities coming together to forge friendships and discover all the creativity they have to share: Stretching to try a new dance move, feeling the satisfaction of mixing just the right shade of red in a painting class, nailing their Shakespeare monologue, hitting the beat on the djembe drum as the music soars.

Put all this against the backdrop of the past three years, and you see the power of what YOU are building at CATA. The pandemic took a heavy toll on so many people with disabilities. Isolation and disconnection left their mark, and many people lost skills. Your support is helping CATA meet these challenges in our community in real time. And your investment is paying off.

When CATA artists asked for more opportunities to explore their talents, you made it happen: Last year, we brought more arts workshops to more people with disabilities than ever before. You helped us pilot new programs in storytelling, songwriting, tactile art, theater for community building, and sensory-friendly dance. You also helped expand workshops for students in local schools.

Teachers and administrators told us that young people with disabilities were struggling to rebuild skills in the wake of the pandemic—and CATA listened. Your support gave hundreds of students an outlet to express themselves as they worked to overcome “Covid slide.”

As we embark on a new year and a new era of growth at CATA, we are dedicated to bringing the highest-quality programs to our artists. We are providing ongoing training for faculty and staff in trauma-informed teaching, autisminformed approaches, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. And, we’re growing our staff capacity in order to expand opportunities for CATA artists and deepen partnerships with local organizations.

Without you, CATA’s work would not be possible. Your generosity is opening the door for hundreds of people with disabilities to express their creativity and find joy in the arts. Thank you!

Please enjoy reading about the ways you made a difference for CATA artists in 2022.

With deep gratitude,

Margaret Keller Executive Director