Creative Citizen studios
Creative Citizen Studios (CCS) uses art to bring people of all abilities together. We work with adult artists with intellectual or developmental disabilities to make, exhibit, and sell their work. Our weekly art classes, workshops, and exhibit opportunities help promote our artists while connecting them with a larger community of artists.
We are based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with Citizen-artists featured in local, regional, and national art shows and exhibit spaces. The organization, established in 2013 was co-founded by Tirzah DeCaria and Kirsten Ervin. CCS strives to serve this talented community of artists with a small team of artists, administrators and educators.
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Our Mission : Creative Citizen Studios (CCS) uses art to bring people of all abilities together. We work with artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities to make, exhibit, and sell their work. Our weekly art classes, workshops, and exhibit opportunities help promote our artists while connecting them with a larger community of artists.
inside look
“Art is the best thing in my life, it’s my heart, it’s my brain, it’s my soul, it’s my life” - Faron Thompson
Click on image to view our film : I Am An Artist
CCS Key Staff :
Tirzah DeCaria - Co-Founder
Myah Merhaut Werkmeister - Executive Director & Teaching Artist
Katy DeMent - Lead Teaching Artist
Megan Shope - Outreach Coordinator & Teaching Artist
Jauzzle France - Teaching Artist
Lauren Braun - Teaching Artist
communicate through expression
Creative Citizen Studios uses art as a tool for artists to communicate their ideas with the world. Artists ages 14 & up join our space to hone in on their skills, learn about new creative mediums and connect with a community of like-minded individuals.
CCS Board of Directors:
Laura Power, CCS President
Daniel Menges, Treasurer
Marina Sapp, Secretary
Ling Hong Almoubayyed
Maryellen Bosko
Myra Brostoff
Autumn Hyde
Suzanne Lewandowski
Shawn McGill
Christian Meeder
Chrisoula Perdziola
If you’re interested in joining the CCS board of directors, please contact tirzah@citizenstudios.org
Proud Sponsors
CCS is in need of sponsors for events in 2023. Are you a business or corporation looking to support our mission? Contact myah@citizenstudios.org to learn about sponsor benefits.
Artist & Family Testimonies
“I think one of the main benefits has been the socialization - learning to do an activity our artist already loved in a group setting, instead of with a one on one teacher/ art therapist. We really like the design of the CCS art camps in the summer - the combination of artmaking, community outing and socialization is wonderful. The opportunity to spend extended time in one of the region’s museums or another institution is a real building block for our artist’s ability to participate in visiting those community institutions comfortably and happily in the future. It seems to me that visiting a place with the intention to create art really adds to the experience for him.””
“Patient and creative instruction by artists who expect and draw out true creativity from their students continues to be inspiring for all involved: the student artists, parents and care givers, and the Pittsburgh community in general.”
“His participation in CCS is an important part of his life and development. He benefits not only from learning the creative processes to which he is introduced, but from feeling himself as part of a community that values him. He has few outlets for self-expression and art-making with CCS gives him great joy...he loves being part of the group and experiencing success as an artist. We are thankful to the team for creating and sustaining this space!”
“The most valuable thing about the Wild Things Art Exhibit was it was a combined show of typical and atypical artists. It’s important to have artists with disabilities have a voice and a place to show their work. My daughter was so proud of herself. She went up to total strangers and took them to her work and said this is MINE!!”
Accessibility Partners
Creative Citizen Artists are always looking for ways to collaborate with other artists and art organizations.
To build successful partnerships with artists and art organizations who work with people who do not have disabilities, Creative Citizen Studios offers accessibility training programs to ensure that each partnership is well informed on principles of inclusion.
Interested in collaborating with us? Fill out our Community Partner Interest Form!