5th Annual Creating Community Symposium

Celebrate Creative Growth Art Center’s fiftieth anniversary at the 5th Annual Creating Community Symposium, from May 20–23, 2024. This four-day event, taking place in Creative Growth’s hometown of Oakland and at SFMOMA in San Francisco, will offer inspiring, educational, and connective experiences.

Join us to honor fifty years of art and advocacy for artists with disabilities. Be part of the conversation that will drive the future of art and inclusion.

Schedule

4 p.m. | Keynote Lecture
Amanda Cachia’s keynote lecture will focus on the intersection of disability art and representation in art museums. In her first book, Curating Access: Disability Art Activism and Creative Accommodation, Cachia argues that while contemporary disabled artists are shifting towards creating artworks that prioritize accessibility —emphasizing translation, sensory experiences, and interaction — representation of disability remains vital.This is evident in its inclusion in museum exhibitions, collections, and diversity efforts, as well as in consultations with disabled communities. The talk highlights the importance of visibility and the political implications of disability in art and the historic partnership between SFMOMA and Creative Growth.

BREAK

6 p.m. | Keynote Panel

SFMOMA curators Jenny Gheith, associate curator of painting and sculpture, and Nancy Lim, associate curator of painting and sculpture, will present on the exhibition Creative Growth: The House That Art Built, which features a selection from the museum’s recent acquisition of work by Creative Growth artists along with archival material that highlights the organization’s history. Contemporary artist and UC Berkeley Professor Emerita Katherine Sherwood will moderate a discussion with independent curator Fran Osborne and artist and gallery director Fran Flaherty. They will explore the challenges and opportunities in creating exhibition strategies that enhance access and inclusion for artists with disabilities.

Support for Public Programs and Artist Talks at SFMOMA is provided by the Phyllis C. Wattis Distinguished Lecture Series.