We are excited to introduce our first ever Creative in Community – Artie Mack! This residency program was created in collaboration with the South of Downtown Community Organization and is intended to spur creative place-making within our neighborhoods.

Artie Mack (he/they) is a Nebraska born artist and lifetime researcher of endless topics. Their work encompasses several mediums such as acrylics, ink, and mixed media, and explores a variety of themes ranging from abstract and fantasy to Blackdeaf visibility and cultural awareness.

Being masked during a global pandemic, which severely limits visual communication involving body language, lipreading, and facial expressions, has driven Artie to think about human interaction and to ask: How many people, regardless of disability or neurodivergence, rely on visual cues and signals to get by daily?

Based on two premises: “Do we learn better with images?” and “What forms or mediums could these images take?” Artie will be creating visual art, comics, and zines centering themes of navigating the global pandemic with a hearing disability, the increasing demand for American Sign Language (ASL) visibility, and deconstructing the “isms” in a capitalist society.  In addition to visuals, Artie will be filming and releasing captioned, accessible videos fusing education with art to challenge monocultured learning and inspire visual learning and creativity.

Each day is an opportunity to examine privileges, especially able-bodied ones, that many of us take for granted. Disability Justice is human rights. These art pieces and videos seek to challenge the status quo and to inspire visual teaching and visual learning during times we need visibility the most.

Artie will receive a small stipend for 1-year, free access to art classes, and our community studios/equipment. Shoutout to our partners at South of Downtown Community Development Organization, Collective Impact Lincoln, Lincoln Arts Council, and Southeast Community College for making this program possible! Thank you to all of the amazing applicants for sharing your vision and goals with us. We are so excited to see what the future holds for this program and our community.