Amplifying Artists
U+I Arts hosts free creative workshops for people with disabilities
Program coordinators Jeff Symes of Northwood and Dawn Peret of Litchfield observe their group.
In his day job at Gateways Community Services, Jeff Symes helps adults with disabilities secure employment, education, medical care and other needs.
But during home visits with individuals, it occurred to him there was a gap in what he could provide as a service coordinator, particularly when it came to their creative pursuits.
On the walls of one Gateways participant’s home, he saw their artwork. In talking with them, he learned they constructed cosplay costumes for Comic Cons and created stop-motion animation in their free time. They were artists, he said, “But it was under the radar. It wasn’t something they were sharing.”
He saw this gap as an opportunity. What if there was a channel where people with disabilities in New Hampshire could connect and socialize through art? Not only would something like this be cognitively beneficial — since, he said, research indicates art helps create neural pathways –—but he also thought people would enjoy it.
During the pandemic, Symes went to work imagining what this channel might look like, surveying the people at Gateways and calling around. He forged partnerships with the New Hampshire Center for Justice & Equity, the United Way of Greater Nashua, the Arlington Street Community Center and local arts organizations.
Nolan Sennott of Nashua (no relation to author) works on his picture book.
The result is U+I (Unified + Inclusive) Arts, which offers free monthly creative programs for people with disabilities, with programs ranging from African drumming to movement and dance. Most events are held at the Arlington Street Community Center, with food supplied by local restaurants and plenty of help available for those who need it.
“For people with disabilities, I think it can sometimes feel like you’re in a bubble,” said Jessica Hägg, the director of the Arlington Street Community Center. “I think it can be hard for people to find community spaces to go to, and I’m glad we can be a part of making that easier once a month.”
Allie Introcaso, a regular participant, said the workshops present a reminder of how impactful creating art can be. She learned about U+I Arts through Symes, her service coordinator at Gateways, and immediately loved the concept.
Introcaso painted all the time in high school but stopped when she became an adult. Since the workshops began, she’s been delving into more art during her free time, which feels good.
Judy Gamache from Nashua catches up on knitting.
“It’s freeing,” she said via phone. “I don’t have to think about the craziness of the outside world. (Creating) blocks out some of the noise.”
Her mother, Alice Introcaso, regularly attends the events with her daughter and finds them equally impactful. She mentioned a recent class presented by a local dance instructor.
“It was amazing that she was able to get this little group of people to do a dance routine together,” Alice Introcaso said. “I was very moved.”
Demand is high, and most U+I events are at capacity at Arlington Street. Some even have wait lists. Symes said he’s looking at ways to serve this demand — maybe by offering events more frequently, maybe by finding a larger space — and he’s been recruiting U+I Arts regulars, like Allie and Alice Introcaso, to take on leadership roles within the organization.
This spring, some U+I Arts regulars plan to sell their work at Nashua’s Pride Festival, which is something Symes and Hägg would like to see more of: artists taking agency and doing more with their art.
What other events or programs might U+I Arts spur, they wonder? Exhibitions? Recitals? They hope so.
They’ve also been talking about how they see U+I Arts in the future and the different groups they might collaborate with, including other developmental service agencies. The hope is to cast a wider net to provide more for the disability community and their caregivers.
Everything is volunteer-run; Symes personally doesn’t begin his work with U+I Arts until he has clocked out of his day job. But he continues on, because he knows how important it is.
“I just think that, when you see a need, and it’s in your hands to be able to address that need, then you should go for it. I think that has a lot to do with me not seeing it as work. There’s a lot of joy in this, too,” Symes said. “To be able to provide somebody with the opportunity to grow or explore an interest — that’s fantastic.”
This article was featured in 603 Diversity.
603 Diversity’s mission is to educate readers of all backgrounds about the exciting accomplishments and cultural contributions of the state’s diverse communities, as well as the challenges faced and support needed by those communities to continue to grow and thrive in the Granite State.
