“I can dance away my shyness!”

You’re giving CATA artists an outlet for their talents

A joyful sound fills the halls at Berkshire County Arc’s Center for Development—a day program for adults with disabilities. CATA artists are gathered in a circle, sharing their love of music in a CATA drumming workshop. Myles beams as he keeps the beat on the dun-dun drum. Connie sings along, her voice soaring with the group.

With your support, hundreds of children, teens, and adults with disabilities are tapping into their talents and building community in vibrant arts programs. And right now, the demand for CATA is greater than ever.

“Artists with disabilities, caregivers, and our program partners are asking for more CATA than ever before,” says Jeff Gagnon, Program Director.

“We’re working closely with our community to learn about challenges they’re facing and programs they’re craving—then tailoring our workshops to meet their needs.” That includes new pilot programs and adaptive workshops in dozens of art forms.

“New all-abilities classes in juggling, yoga, dance, drumming, and songwriting are giving CATA artists more ways to express themselves,” says Kara Smith, Program Director. “And we’ve launched sensory-friendly classes with added accommodations for artists on the autism spectrum or who prefer a calmer environment to explore their talents.”

Supporters like you are also helping meet a critical need in public schools—where many students with disabilities rely on CATA as an outlet to express themselves.

“In just a few years, we’ve tripled the programs we’re bringing to students in schools,” says Jeff. “Passionate, dedicated teachers in eight school districts welcome CATA into their classrooms every week. Through CATA, students are building skills in problem solving, coordination, and communication. And most of all, they feel pride and a sense of achievement.”

“Students in our high school special education program benefit so much from CATA,” says Kate Burdsall, Special Education Director at Berkshire Hills Regional School District. “After each session, we see so much growth in their selfconfidence, self-esteem, and social skills. Our students practice and develop skills—and then build on their successes from week to week.”

In a dance class at Pittsfield High School, CATA Faculty Artist Beth Liebowitz leads students in movement exercises. “How does dancing make you feel?” asks Beth. Benedicta raises her hand: “I can dance away my shyness!”

Recently, parents were invited to a “CATA Sharing” to see all that their students were learning. “They were blown away by how much their students had accomplished,” says Beth. “One mother hugged her son and said, ‘I never knew you were such a beautiful dancer!’ It meant so much for every student to be celebrated.”

Want to learn more about CATA workshops? Prospective CATA artists, families, and caregivers can learn about our programs and start signing up by calling (413) 528-5485 or visit CATAarts.