Theme for this year’s The Art Seen: Expand Your Horizons

By Anna Persichilli 

Now in its second year of operation, “The Art Seen”, an innovative art-based social integration program (SI) designed for neurodivergent artists, continues its mission to enhance the visibility of neurodivergent talent in the art community, where representation has often been lacking. 

Thanks to this collaboration between the English Montreal School Board’s (EMSB) Wagar Adult Education Centre and the Visual Arts Centre in Westmount, where it is located, a distinctive art program now thrives. 

My students don’t fit the typical mold of artists you might encounter in the Montreal art scene, and I’m dedicated to changing that narrative. The primary goal of the SI program is to provide meaningful integration services for adults with intellectual disabilities. Over the past year, students have produced a wealth of artwork in “Studio F” at the Visual Arts Centre. Within the Art Seen program, which is a community class attached to Wagar, students create unique art, participate in exhibitions throughout the year, engage in art talks and apply their life skills to benefit the community. 

This past spring, for instance, students visited a nursing home in Ville St. Laurent to create and paint wind chimes for the residents’ outdoor deck.  

The Westmount community has whole heartedly embraced the students: You might see Antoine and Jonathan stroll to the nearby Café Myriade to order a coffee; or students and teachers shopping at the Metro grocery store across the street to prep for our cooking class on Thursdays back at Wagar. The city of Westmount’s greenhouse and library have also served as sources of inspiration, and you will often find students sketching in the park. 

Throughout the school year, Art Seen students hosted linoleum printmaking workshops for peers at their own school and other EMSB adult education centres, such as John F. Kennedy Adult Education Centre, to explore new artistic media. 

One of the most memorable aspects of the program has been the art exhibitions. Typically, in a school setting, artworks are posted onto bulletin boards in the hallways. This year, Art Seen students proudly showcased their work at the Annual Student Exhibition and their own year-end show at the McClure Gallery (located on the main floor of the Visual Arts Centre), both of which were a resounding success. Students felt immense pride as family, friends, and community members celebrated their creativity.  

Jorden Harris-Bignel and Matthew Brotherwood, Art Seen artists, served as art curators for the year-end exhibition. “We’re in an art gallery... I feel like a real artist,” said Victoria, an Art Seen student. And she is a real artist! It’s essential that we recognize her as such. 

The inspiration for the Art Seen program came from a video about “Creative Growth,” a successful art program for neurodivergent artists in California. I was so inspired that I felt a similar initiative was essential for our neurodivergent students at Wagar. While neurodivergent adults are often encouraged to pursue standard jobs in the community, many possess artistic talents that deserve cultivation and recognition. 

Unfortunately, there are very few continuing education art programs for neurodivergent artists. Art Seen provides a safe space for them to thrive. Since its inception, students have been fine-tuning their professional art skills and engaging in work skills tasks at the Visual Arts Centre, including organizing studios, recycling and even contributing to the summer day camp for kids. This year, the students are invited to delve into pottery, marionette making, stop-motion and installation art. The theme for this school year is for students to expand their artistic horizons. Stay tuned!  

An interview is required to be accepted into the EMSB Art Seen program. For more information, contact Jennifer Campbell (jcampbell@emsb.qc.ca) or Demetra Droutsas (ddroutsas@emsb.qc.ca) at Wagar Adult Education Centre. 

Anna Persichilli is a Social Integration teacher at the English Montreal School Board’s Wagar Adult Education Centre.