Fifteen Years of ArtWorks

When I look back over the past fifteen years, I feel a strong sense of gratitude. Developing the ArtWorks Summer Internship Program has been one of the greatest privileges of my career at Access Gallery. What began in 2010 as a small summer workshop has grown into a program that has touched the lives of more than 180 young adults with disabilities. I hope the experience has been as meaningful for them as it has been for me.

The program's roots were humble. We partnered with Atlantis Community Center, a non-profit independent living center that advocates for disability rights, helps individuals with disabilities live independently, and provides community advocacy. Our goal was to provide an art component for a disability advocacy workshop. A year later, Access Gallery took the program under its wing, and together with a strong community of teaching artists, staff, volunteers, mentors, and partners, we began shaping the program into what it is today.

Over the years, organizations like the Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), the School to Work Alliance Program (SWAP), the Kennedy Center, and many others have believed in this vision and have helped make it possible. Their support has allowed us to continually refine the program, build new partnerships, and create meaningful opportunities for young adults.

Each summer, I have the joy of welcoming a new group of interns, and every year I am reminded why this work matters. I watch young people arrive, often unsure of themselves, and over eight weeks begin to see themselves differently. They discover their creative voice while learning workplace skills, self-advocacy, communication, teamwork, and professionalism. For most, it is their first paid job and the first time they are recognized as professional workers and artists.

Our Artworks Summer Internship Program has grown from its humble beginnings. Today, our interns not only explore new art techniques but also learn soft job skills, how to build a portfolio, public speaking,promotional skills, how to work with others on corporate commissions, how to support each other and themselves through self advocacy. As the final culmination of the program, the interns are in charge of curating the summer exhibition in the main gallery.

One of the greatest rewards has been watching the impact of ArtWorks continue long after the summer ends. Many interns go on to college, careers, and new opportunities, often reaching out years later for a reference, advice, or simply to share where life has taken them. Others remain part of the Access Gallery community, growing into professional artists, mentors, teaching artists, and collaborators in programs like Giving Voice, our annual social justice poster collaboration that pairs established graphic designers with students to create original advocacy artwork.

Looking back, I realize ArtWorks has never simply been an internship. It has been a place where young people discover confidence, purpose, belonging, and possibility. Having the opportunity to observe this year after year I have come to realize that this is one of the most impactful programs we offer young people.

This year is no different. The exhibition, Collective Spectacle, reflects everything the interns have accomplished this summer. The artwork showcases not only their creativity, but also the collaboration, leadership, and problem-solving that developed along the way. Each piece tells the story of new skills learned, challenges overcome, and ideas brought to life.

As I look around the gallery, I see more than an exhibition—I see the start of new artistic journeys and, for many, the beginning of a lasting connection with Access Gallery. After fifteen years, I continue to feel grateful and privileged to be part of a program that has such a meaningful impact on the lives of so many young artists.

I hope you'll join us in celebrating this remarkable group of young artists at one of our upcoming events:

Collective Spectacle Final Presentations & Artist Celebration Lunch
Wednesday, August 5 | 12:00–1:30 p.m.
Access Gallery
909 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO 80204

Collective Spectacle Exhibition Opening Reception
Friday, August 7 | 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Access Gallery
909 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO 80204

We would love to celebrate the accomplishments of this year's ArtWorks interns with you.