Beaumont, Texas – At the 1st annual ‘Art at the Arc’ gallery show, members of the Edaren Foundation Board and supporters of the Greater Arc of Beaumont got to enjoy incredible creations of art by the beneficiaries of Arc. Those beneficiaries are adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, or IDD, since 2005 when the local Beaumont chapter was established by 5 concerned parents. Part of The Arc of Texas and The Arc of the United States, the local chapter has grown in just over a decade to provide a variety of socialization activities, services and programs to over 400 individuals.

In mid-2017, The Arc of Greater Beaumont approached Edaren with the idea of beginning an art program for their participants. The idea, called ‘Art with The Arc’, would consist of weekly classes led by a degreed art instructor that specializes in working with IDD individuals. The students would learn basic art skills, be exposed to various mediums, and practice socialization and interact with peers while creating a variety of visual art during the classes. The end of the semester would culminate in a showcase of the completed artwork in a gallery-like setting at their facility in Beaumont. In addition, stakeholders and supporters would have the chance to purchase the artwork on display to help sustain future art programs.

Edaren Foundation was honored to provide the $40,000 seed funding grant for such a worthy cause. And we were equally excited to attend the special event hosted at The Arc’s multi-purpose facility on March 21, 2018 to celebrate the culmination their first class and the amazing artwork on display.