As part of their Inclusive Arts Initiative, Teegatha’Oh Zheh (TOZ) is launching a Progressive Arts Studio (PAS) pilot project in Whitehorse, dedicated to serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The pilot is running until December.

The PAS model empowers artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities to develop their individual art practice and pursue lives and careers as exhibiting artists. The pilot is funded through a Lotteries Yukon grant.

Over the next six months, TOZ is providing time, space and materials to support artists in their studio to create archival-level art work.

Some of the artists they support will be in upcoming exhibitions. They also plan to work with established artists, to offer a series of integrated community workshops and studio feedback sessions as well as curation of upcoming shows.

During this pilot, Teegatha’Oh Zheh aims to forge strong partnerships with local arts organizations and established Yukon artists, which will benefit not just the artists they support, but the broader arts community as well.

“By leveraging the unique strengths of their partners and the innovative format of their art studio, the Teegatha’Oh Zheh Progressive Art Studio Pilot will not only fill a significant community gap, but also foster a cultural shift towards inclusive practices that recognize and value the contributions of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” TOZ said.

“This pilot will serve as a model for inclusivity, showing that art is a powerful medium for expression and advocacy; fundamental to human dignity and community vitality.”

Anyone interested in participating in the project is asked to contact art studio co-ordinator Phoebe Gonzales Rohrbacher at prohrbacher@tozyukon.com