MISSION & HISTORY
Mission
Community Access to the Arts nurtures and celebrates the creativity of people with disabilities through shared experiences in the visual and performing arts. Our programs take place in healthcare, therapeutic, eldercare, educational, community, and cultural settings. We serve over 550 individuals with developmental, physical, emotional and/or mental disabilities representing 26 different human service and educational organizations, as well as individuals living at home. The majority of our participants reside in Berkshire County, Massachusetts.
History
Dance therapist, Sandra Newman, founded CATA in 1993. At the time she was working as a clinician and dance therapist at the Columbia County Mental Health Association. She took her clients to art museums and cultural events and saw the power and importance of these experiences for everyone involved. In 1993, she began collaborating with IS183 (formerly the Interlaken School of Art) and brought a group of women with developmental disabilities from the Riverbrook Residence to IS183 for a series of weaving workshops, and CATA was born. In 1997, CATA first received operational support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council and founded its first performing arts company. In 1998, CATA operations moved out of Sandra Newman’s home and into a studio/gallery in downtown Great Barrington. By 2000, CATA was offering 500 workshops annually. In 2003, CATA grew to a full-time staff of five. By 2006, CATA was offering 1000 workshops annually. Currently, CATA has a full-time staff of six, offers 1100 workshops annually, and provides services to approximately 550 individuals throughout Berkshire County.