CREATE COMMUNITY STUDIOS

A Brave & Safe Space for Everyone

CREATE COMMUNITY STUDIOS

We are:

Capital Region Expressive Arts Transformation and Empowerment


At CREATE Community Studios, everyone belongs. We believe art is for everyone, and we welcome people of all ages, backgrounds, identities, and abilities. We believe creativity is a human right.

We create safe, brave, equitable, and inclusive spaces** where everyone is encouraged to be creative, share their ideas, and learn from one another. By making art together, we build friendships, celebrate our differences, and help create a kinder, healthier, and stronger community.

CREATE COMMUNITY STUDIOS

Cultural Equity and Inclusion 


As an organization committed to using art as an equalizer across all social, economic, and cultural barriers, we are committed to always having BRAVE, EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE spaces where people feel comfortable expressing themselves.


We will continue our own work to commit every day to equitable and inclusive ideals. As part of our commitment, our core operations staff has been focusing on how we uphold anti-racist, anti-ableist, and inclusive practices including deep conversations on dismantling white supremacy culture with Tangible Development President and DEI consultant Dr. LB Hannahs. 

CREATE prides itself on creating “safe spaces” for all in our community.


Through our DEI training, we were introduced to the concept of “A Brave Space” by Micky Scottbey Jones.

As part of these efforts, we will be rolling out some new and exciting messages in our programs in schools, agencies and our studios.


We look forward to continuing to have these conversations that help us all live more brave, safe, kind and meaningful lives in community.


An Invitation to Brave Space

CREATE COMMUNITY STUDIOS

What do BRAVE spaces look like at CREATE?


In our school-based programs, we:

  • A safe space for students to be themselves and create their own way.
  • A focus on the process of making art rather than the final product
  • Equitable support for each student
  • Inclusive teaching practices that are trauma-informed and support sensory needs.

In our in-studio programs, we:

  • A safe and warm-welcoming environment for everyone
  • Establish group agreements and norms according to our safe studio policy
  • Acceptance that all art is valid and All art matters
  • Encouragement to trust the creative process (and sometimes the final product isn’t always what we expect)
  • Critique and judgement-free


In our community outreach and partnerships:

  • Trauma-informed practitioners who are licensed or trained in mental health, special education, and adaptive art practices
  • Consistent and customized programs that meet participants where they’re at
  • Relationships built on safety, equity, and deep respect for a person's background and life experiences.
  • A focus on individual strengths and choices rather than imposing top-down solutions.
  • Decisions are made openly so that everyone understands the process and shares power equally.


**How do we define safe space? An environment in which everyone feels comfortable expressing themselves and participating fully and authentically.