Artists First board member Nancy Newman RiceThe Sheldon is pleased to partner with Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis to celebrate Disability Pride month during July’s First Friday gallery event. The Sheldon Art Galleries will be open until 9 p.m.

Artists First board member Nancy Newman Rice will give a talk on our current exhibition, “Artists First: Connection, Cohesion & Changeability,” on view through August 6 in the Nancy Spirtas Kranzberg Gallery.

Artists First is a non-profit open art studio that fosters independence through creative self-expression for adults with pervasive mental illness, developmental disabilities, and traumatic brain injury. The studio serves over 300 artists annually through a range of artistic programs that provide a creative platform for groups often confined to the fringes of society. With varying levels of supervision depending on the individual needs of the artists, Artists First staff and volunteers promote participants’ self-esteem through their independent use of materials, exploration of the world of creating art and socialization with their peers.

Schedule:

5 p.m. Deaf Happy hour in partnership with DEAF Inc. – Complimentary drink tickets for for visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing – Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis

6–8 p.m. Card making activity table with Jennifer Allie Friedrich, Criptonite Arts – Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis

7 p.m. Screening of Criptonite performance  – Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis

7:30 p.m. Gallery Talk: Sheila Sudwalla, Artists First – Sheldon Art Galleries