This Christmas, give the gift of a unique work of art with social value.
The Art of Living workshop in Ampanes serves over 80 people with intellectual disabilities each week. In its seven years of operation, the workshop has produced more than 3,000 works of art.
Did you know that in Manresa there's an inclusive art workshop where Ampans users explore their full creative potential? And did you know that these artists also participate in exhibitions, collaborate with renowned artists, and make their work accessible to the public? This oasis in the heart of the Bages capital is called L'Art de Viure, an art workshop that, in just seven years, has become one of the flagship projects at the occupational center run by the Ampans Foundation in the city.
Professionalized Project
The first thing that stands out is the project's professional team, made up of people with experience and training in the artistic field (graphic design, fine arts, illustration), but also in the social field (social integration, social education). This defining characteristic of the project is not accidental. It is the result of Ampans' firm commitment to incorporating professionals specializing in art and formats within the social sphere. Amaia Inchausti is one of the professionals who guides the participants in the art workshop as they explore their creativity. Depending on their interests, they dedicate more or less time to the workshop and delve into painting techniques such as watercolor, acrylic paint, aniline dyes, ink, and collage.
The Art of Living began its journey in 2019 and has been growing ever since. Proof of this is that today it includes some eighty artists and that, in these almost seven years, more than 3,000 works have been created. All of them are for sale, either in the art gallery located in the workshop, good in the online storeor in the various exhibitions in which they regularly participate. The success, in Inchausti's words, lies in the fact that the initiative "was not approached from the perspective of art therapy or work, but from an artistic perspective, seeking to enable the participants to develop their full artistic talent."
Satisfaction of the artists and their community
The Ampans users who attend the Art of Living workshop usually work individually. They collaborate as a team when they receive a commission, such as a wine label requested by a winery, a poster for a poetry contest, or a mural that now adorns the neighborhood where the occupational center is located. Laia Lagran and José Muñoz are two of these artists. Lagran joined as soon as the project took shape, while Muñoz joined more recently. However, he points out: "When I paint or draw, I feel tranquility; I transport myself to another world and disconnect." Lagran corroborates everything her colleague says and adds that when she knows one of her works will be included in an exhibition or competition, she feels "great satisfaction."
Lately, both Lagran and Muñoz have had the opportunity to collaborate with the Manresa-based photographer La Cirileta (Anna Martínez) on one of her exhibitions; with the Manresa-born painter Joaquim Falcó, with whom they designed flowers that were later made of metal and now adorn a roundabout in the municipality of Santpedor; with Roser Oduber, with whom they have collaborated on creations for the Festival of Light; or with Marta Aranyó, an artist who paints with wine. "These are moments in which, in addition to showcasing their talent, some of the users who cannot express themselves verbally do so through art," Inchausti points out. The graphic designer also emphasizes that the benefits often extend to the users' relationship with their families: "There are families who suddenly see that an artistic creation by their children illustrates a poster for a poetry and literature festival held in Manresa, and they admit that they never would have thought their child was capable or that they could even be heard. It strengthens the bond within the family, which is becoming increasingly involved in the project."
Social Value
Lagran and Muñoz have participated with their colleagues in the Faba Festival and the Setba Awards, where artists from Ampans have historically contributed half of the finalist works. In addition, the works developed in the Art of Living workshop are also frequently exhibited at the Textile and Water Museum in Manresa; in the Bages library network; and in the space of coworking Third, Second; in the Sala Parés in Barcelona or at the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Manresa. A social value that is also evident in the workshops that L'Art de Viure organizes for schools and companies. "We set aside one day a week to receive them and, just as with the schools we seek to raise awareness among students about people with intellectual disabilities, with the companies we develop activities of team building "In which professionals collaborate with artists," Inchausti explains.
On December 3rd, the Ampans Foundation will inaugurate an exhibition at the Barcelona Health Hub in Barcelona's Sant Pau Modernist Complex—a hub for over 600 companies in the digital health ecosystem—featuring forty works by nine artists from the L'Art de Viure workshop. There, professionals and visitors alike will have the opportunity to experience firsthand a talent that is sure to impress, and some may even take the opportunity to get a head start on their Christmas shopping. Regarding why people should consider giving one of their works as a gift this holiday season, Laia Lagran points out that they are "unique, in the sense that each of us has a different style." "Besides," adds José Muñoz, "they are beautiful pieces." Amaia Inchausti emphasizes that "the artistic quality is incredible, there's a lot of talent, and the messages are very powerful." She also recalls that, at the beginning of the workshop, they used more basic school supplies, and now they use more professional materials. "This is the level we must facilitate if we later want to exhibit and sell the artists' work. And it's a level that these individuals also demand, which shows that, when motivated and valued, the group of people with intellectual disabilities also commits to what they do and demands certain minimum standards," concludes the instructor under the watchful eye of Lagran and Mu, who are creating works of art for much longer.