Access Gallery, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting artists with disabilities, is set to celebrate its 20th anniversary in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe (ADSF).
Executive Director Damon McLeese recalls when the gallery moved to its current location at 909 Santa Fe Drive in 2005. Back then, the area had a somewhat seedy reputation, but McLeese believed it was the ideal fit for Access Gallery, which aims to empower and provide opportunities for artists with disabilities.
Founded in 1978 within the Colorado Springs School District, Access Gallery initially focused on school-based programs. The organization became affiliated with the Kennedy Center, thanks to the efforts of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the founder of the Special Olympics, and Jean Kennedy Smith, who initiated Very Special Arts.
When McLeese took the helm in 1997, Access Gallery had no gallery space and limited projects.
“A lot of our work then was getting money to school programs serving students with disabilities through the arts,” he explains. But after securing a gallery space at 2256 Larimer Street, McLeese seized the opportunity to relocate to the burgeoning arts district, which has since become a vibrant environment for artists.
In the years since, Access Gallery has expanded its offerings, maintaining the gallery as its public-facing headquarters while also opening additional spaces like a digital lab across the street and a studio at Tenth and Navajo streets.
The organization has planned a celebratory event on November 21 to mark its two-decade milestone in ADSF.
However, the lead-up to this event is the highly anticipated 99 Pieces of Art on the Wall, the nonprofit’s sole fundraising effort each year.
Scheduled for September 19, this popular event attracts large crowds willing to queue for a chance to purchase a piece of art for just $99 while enjoying food and drinks in a relaxed atmosphere.
Admission is priced at $9.99, and as McLeese puts it, it’s a “pizza and beer event, not a high-end, black-tie, rubber-chicken event.”
About 30 percent of the artwork offered for sale is created by artists with disabilities, while the rest comes from individuals connected to the gallery, including frequent visitors and instructors.
The event typically raises around $25,000, which supports Access Gallery’s operations. The organization also relies on grants from various foundations and local government, as well as ongoing art sales, to sustain its mission.
McLeese emphasizes the gallery’s commitment to affordable and accessible art, stating, “We don’t want people to come in here and see a piece of work, and it’s $20,000. Our artists are very prolific; a lot of them are emerging.”
Notably, Access Gallery collaborates with organizations such as Creative Growth Art Center in the Bay Area and Project Onward as well as Arts of Life in Chicago to provide broader support.
“Our studio program is designed for artists with disabilities to come in,” McLeese notes. “We provide the space, all the materials, all the supplies, mentorship, but they’re really here to explore their own creative outlet and passion.”
He adds that some local artists have been associated with Access Gallery for nearly two decades.
Artists participating in the program receive support tailored to their specific artistic interests and have access to both studio and digital lab facilities to develop their work.
Many of these artists also take on commissions, contributing to their income. Within the gallery, pieces sold earn the artists a 50 percent commission. They can also earn an hourly wage or a percentage from public art commissions.
In recent years, Access Gallery has shifted focus from solely fostering artistic creation to enhancing financial opportunities for the artists it supports.
“We stopped focusing on just process, creation and classes, and started focusing on how to get money into the pockets of the artists that we support,” McLeese recalls. He identifies this change as a pivotal moment for the organization.
Access Gallery aims to help artists cultivate their unique practices while ensuring they can produce work that is marketable, whether it be a T-shirt, painting, or sculpture.
Navigating the art world can prove difficult for many disabled artists due to systemic barriers.
McLeese points out that some artists may be non-verbal or otherwise struggle to communicate their needs in a gallery setting.
“It’s not that it’s bad; the system is just not set up for people who might be wired a little bit differently,” he explains.
Furthermore, McLeese underscores a broader societal challenge: the undervaluation of contributions from individuals with disabilities. In the U.S., people with disabilities face an alarming unemployment rate, ranging from 70 to 90 percent, shedding light on the urgent need for change.
While Access Gallery engages with artists across various disabilities, it predominantly serves those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who often encounter the greatest hurdles in achieving financial independence.
“There are a lot of our artists who have dual disabilities; they might have an intellectual disability and a physical disability,” McLeese adds, highlighting the complexities many artists face.
Currently, the gallery supports around fifty artists who visit the studios to work on their art between one to four times a week. Most individuals become connected to Access through a summer job program, which offers employment and an introductory experience in creative careers to ten to fifteen high school students with disabilities each year.
“At the end of the summer, it’s inevitable that one or two of them will stay with us,” McLeese states. He also notes that the organization welcomes community referrals, expanding its outreach.
Over the past two decades in ADSF, McLeese estimates that Access Gallery has organized around 200 art shows, attracting approximately 1,000 visitors each month during the popular First Friday events.
“Yeah, we’ve made an impact, we’ve got some staying power,” he asserts confidently. “We respond to what the artists want.”
Looking to the future, McLeese envisions consolidating the gallery, digital lab, and studio into one cohesive space within ADSF.
However, his immediate goal is to increase awareness and encourage more visitors to experience everything Access Gallery has to offer.
“While a lot of people know us, there are many who don’t,” McLeese concludes. “I’d like to invite people to come down and see what we’re up to. Our work is affordable and accessible; everyone here is very approachable.
I think that’s an opportunity for the gallery to educate collectors on what they’re purchasing. Sometimes, we sell art to people who are buying their first piece ever, and we take pride in that.”
image source from：westword
