Art Workshops with Keith Tolen
Since 2017, the Aiken Center for the Arts has offered its Art and Music Camp for Special Needs. This program is designed to provide creative and artistic opportunities for individuals with traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy, and/or other physical and developmental disabilities. In 2021, with funding from The Gifting Tree Foundation, the Arts Center was able to expand the summer camps another week and also offer six one-day experiences throughout the year to provide continuity for participants. Camps are offered at no cost to participants and are designed to allow these individuals to have a successful, joyful art experience by providing an opportunity to participate in both visual arts and musical activities at their own level.
Camps are led SC Arts Access master teacher, Keith Tolen, who has extensive experience teaching art to those with disabilities. Keith is a visual artist from Columbia, SC and a former art educator of 35 years. He brings his unique gifts in support of this special population.
Our curriculum is designed with multi-disciplinary content that optimizes each student’s language, attention, memory, executive function and motor control functions. For the individuals involved in the program, the benefits include the opportunity for a success-oriented creative outlet, social interaction with peers, and the positive self-esteem that comes from having their work displayed at the Art Center. These opportunities lead to the development of soft skills like communication, being part of a team or group, learning to make a decision, adaptability, leadership, kindness, independence, taking directions, empathy, and others. Our hope is that our community will continue to recognize the value in programs which impacts a special population on a deeper level.
Join us in a relaxed atmosphere as we explore art through different themes. Workshops are free with approved application. Registration is required. Come to as many as you would like. Click below to register. Call Tracy Seconi at 803-641-9094 with any questions.
