Inspirational Initiative – exclusive Q&A with Inspire Arts principals

Today Online
14 minutes ago
9 min read

• Inspire Arts – Supporting Artists Who Have Endured Brain Injuries

• This article is the second in a series:

Part 1: Inspire Arts – Offering creative hope to brain injury survivors

By Bruce William Deckert

Editor-in-Chief • Today Online • Today Magazine

A distinctive program with roots in Connecticut's Farmington Valley exists to inspire and support artists dealing with disabilities — and thus the program's name is quite fitting: Inspire Arts.

SEO: Inspire Arts principals

Maher's website – Click This Ad

SEO: Inspire Arts principals

The program's special focus is to encourage those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury aka TBI. Inspire Arts is an initiative of The Supported Living Group, a private social-service agency offering services for Connecticut residents "who are navigating the challenges of autism, aging in the community and life after brain injury," says SLG executive director Jamie Arber.

The Supported Living Group (aka SLG) is based in Danielson, Connecticut, with two other venues in Avon and Bethany. The Inspire Arts operation resides at the Avon and Bethany locations.

SLG launched the distinctive program in 2021. Arber is the program's architect — yes, he provided the inspiration for Inspire Arts. The program has served about 35 artists overall in its nearly half-decade history. Currently, about 20 clients partake in the program Mondays through Fridays: 12 in Avon and eight in Bethany, with the number varying day to day.

"The program concept was formulated in December of 2020 and rolled out officially in March of 2021," Arber tells Today Online.

Rebecca Maloney is the Inspire Arts senior art program manager. She is based in Avon, while the Bethany location has two art program coordinators: June Maselli and Tyler Horta.

SEO: Inspire Arts principals

Vincent website – Click This Ad

SEO: Inspire Arts principals

Jamie Arber and Rebecca Maloney have collaboratively answered the following exclusive and wide-ranging Q&A — individual answers are noted:

INSPIRE ARTS

• 147 Simsbury Road • Avon • Connecticut

• 23 Amity Road • Bethany • Connecticut

860-382-3020

Email — inspirearts@slg-ct. com

Website — www.inspireartsct.com

Facebook and Instagram — inspirearts_ct

Mission — Inspire Arts is a Connecticut-based creative program associated with The Supported Living Group that is dedicated to supporting artists living with disabilities. We are committed to encouraging creative expression and securing greater independence and a sense of purpose within our community.

Who pioneered (aka founded) your organization?

The Supported Living Group was founded by Christopher Brisson in 2006 — our current executive director, Jamie Arber, founded the Inspire Arts CT program in 2021.

What inspired your founder to start this organization?

The Supported Living Group wanted to raise the standards in arts programming and opportunities for creatives living with brain injuries.

Most fulfilling aspect of your work:

• Rebecca Maloney — The most fulfilling aspect of my work is to assist individuals in building confidence through their art practice. I have seen how learning a new skill or completing a painting can allow for new possibilities and empower survivors of brain injury.

One of our members who arrived one-year post-injury was not interested in the arts and felt disheartened. He patiently began to take small steps each day. Through several conversations about his ideas and what he values in life, he began creating art for family members. Currently, he has a studio full of paintings, has designed a chess board and restored a picnic table, and has built a trellis for our TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) Healing Garden.

SEO: Inspire Arts principals

Up Top webpage – Click This Ad

SEO: Inspire Arts principals

Your biggest obstacle, and how you overcome it:

We aim to make art accessible to allow our artists the choice to work independently. Each month we offer new creative projects and compose strategies so that everyone can participate in a way that offers self-reliance. We reach out to our clinician team for their suggestions, and we think outside of the box. Our biggest obstacle here is time, but when we work as a team and plan ahead, we are successful.

Most satisfying accomplishment:

It’s most satisfying when we hear from our artists’ family members about the impact of the art program.

• Family Member Testimony — “Before MJ became part of this program, he was becoming a recluse, even to his family. His first few weeks in the program were tough for both of us. Change is hard for him, but he persevered, and after seeing the different styles of art he could do he looked forward to going. He was more engaged in conversation about each of his daily activities, and he has even tried to get me to do some of the paintings he has been shown. MJ's participation takes time and effort but is well worth it, leading to his independence. My fear for his future is slowly dissipating as he progresses forward.”

What sets you apart:

We offer a welcoming studio environment where artists work side by side, leading with their interests, and direct their own creative path. Through creative expression our artists can share their personal journeys while expanding their communities.

Monthly collaborative projects provide a new level of experimentation and communication. Our creative programming includes art journaling, still-life drawing and education through artist documentaries that are followed by rich discussions.

We also make it a goal to attend community events like theatre productions and to participate in national-level art shows as well as produce our own exhibitions at various galleries. These events build relationships and allow everyone to experience our thriving local art scene.

We are partnered with the Brain Injury Alliance of Connecticut and offer a monthly support group that includes a creative element. You don’t have to be an artist — anyone can attend and express their emotions through art, and find connection and a supportive community.

For those who enjoy carpentry and furniture making, we are proud to offer our Woodshop Program coordinated by Mike Waters, who assists our artists in learning new skills to create beautiful woodcrafts.

How closely do you work with other organizations, businesses and nonprofits?

We work closely with the Brain Injury Alliance of Connecticut and offer support groups at both of our art studios — in Avon and Bethany — that include a creative element. These gatherings provide a supportive space for survivors to connect with others who understand their journey.

We participate in programming offered by nonprofits such as Mental Health Connecticut and the New Jersey-based Kessler Foundation.

We have exhibited our work at local arts organizations and galleries: Avon Public Library, Simsbury Public Library, The 224 EcoSpace in Hartford, Brookfield Craft Center, Open Studios Hartford, Work_Space in Manchester and Arts Center East in Vernon.

In 2024, work by three of our artists was accepted into the Art Enables “Outside Forces” exhibit in Washington D.C., which features self-taught artists from around the country such as John Micali, Robert Bourque and Matteo Marignani.

LaRey Pablo, a talented painter and collage artist, exhibited one of her collages at the Outsider Artist Fair in New York City in March 2024.

Goals for the next 1-5 years?

We strive to serve more artists with disabilities by organizing community art shows and creative workshops. We envision inviting local artists to visit and offer their skills while also sharing their art with our community.

We look forward to a continued partnership with Healing By Growing Farms to design more healing spaces, including a vegetable garden.

We would like to further develop our sales platform in the hope of establishing creative and competitive employment opportunities for creatives with disabilities.

A nonprofit or business leader today who inspires you — and why:

We are inspired by and grateful to Dr. Ivette Ruiz, the founder of East Haven-based Healing By Growing Farms, a BIPOC-owned urban farm that provides no-cost, life-changing support for brain injury and trauma survivors.

• Editor's Note — BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, People of Color

Dr. Ruiz is an advocate for accessible food systems and educational programs that support veterans, those who are disabled, and marginalized people.

In 2024, the Supported Living Group and Healing By Growing Farms began a partnership to create a TBI Healing Garden at the Inspire Arts location in Avon. Together we cleared the garden bed and planted native vines and flowers as well as bulbs. We added compost and mulch and took turns keeping everything watered. Our group has watched the garden bloom this spring and summer.

This healing garden is a place that offers therapeutic benefits where everyone can relax and enjoy the sunshine. We appreciate her vision and dedication to the communities she serves, and look forward to growing both of our organizations together through this partnership.

Volunteers — how many and opportunities to serve:

• Jamie Arber — The Supported Living Group does not currently utilize volunteers in our direct care services, given the sensitive and specialized nature of the support we provide to individuals living with acquired brain injuries. However, we do welcome community engagement through awareness efforts, art collaborations and special events.

Interesting stats and numbers associated with your organization:

• Arber — Since our founding, The Supported Living Group has proudly served hundreds of vulnerable individuals across Connecticut who are navigating the challenges of autism, aging in the community, and life after brain injury. We provide nonmedical community-based support opportunities, helping our service participants live as independently and meaningfully as possible in their own homes.

Anecdote that illustrates how you accomplish your mission:

• Arber — One of the individuals we support joined The Supported Living Group through the ABI (Acquired Brain Injury) Waiver after experiencing an extended period in a long-term healthcare facility and a period of residential insecurity. Since transitioning into our care, he has secured stable, affordable housing with support services in the Avon area — a vital first step toward rebuilding his independence.

With encouragement from our team, he began exploring his long-standing creative interests and now participates regularly in arts-based educational programs. He has also flourished through a new connection with Healing By Growing Farms, the local nonprofit focused on inclusive, therapeutic agriculture. Their mission — “Sanando (Healing) Our Brain, Our Spirit and Our Soil” — deeply resonated with him, and he’s since become not only an active participant but also a passionate advocate for their work in the broader community.

His journey reflects the heart of our mission: to provide person-centered supports that empower individuals to heal, grow and thrive — not only in their homes, but as valued and engaged members of the community.

How is your work funded — and does your organization receive grants and accept donations?

• Arber — As a private provider, The Supported Living Group contracts primarily with the state of Connecticut and the federal government through a variety of disability-focused waiver programs, as well as private pay arrangements. At this time, we do not operate as a nonprofit and do not actively pursue grants or donations.

What do you value most about the local business community?

• Arber — We deeply value the sense of collaboration and shared purpose found in the Farmington Valley business community. Local businesses are not just economic engines — they are pillars of community connection and innovation.

What constructive change would you like to see in the local business community?

• Arber — We’d love to see more partnerships between human services and the broader business community — whether through supported employment, awareness campaigns or inclusive events that bring together people of all abilities.

What do you appreciate most about the Farmington Valley and the state of Connecticut?

• Arber — Connecticut’s commitment to human services and the close-knit nature of the Farmington Valley make it an ideal place to do mission-driven work. The natural beauty, community engagement, and access to resources create an environment where individuals with disabilities can thrive.

What constructive change would you like to see in the Valley and the state?

• Arber — We believe more housing options and greater awareness around brain injury and adult autism support could significantly improve quality of life for many community residents. Encouraging inclusive design, affordable housing, and increased public education on neurodiversity would be meaningful steps forward.

What was your operating budget in your most recent fiscal year?

• Arber — As a privately owned organization, we do not publicly disclose our operating budget.

Salary range for your employees and management?

• Arber — We offer competitive compensation and benefits aligned with industry standards for healthcare and human services in Connecticut, while also investing heavily in staff training and support.

Provide other financial info — as you wish:

• Arber — While we don’t publicly share financials, our focus remains on sustainability and ethical growth, ensuring that the individuals we support receive consistent, high-quality care.

Board officers:

• Arber — The Supported Living Group is privately owned and does not maintain a traditional board of directors. Our leadership team includes professionals with deep expertise in nonmedical rehabilitation and community-based program development across disability support spectrums.

Board members:

• Arber — As a privately operated business, we do not have a board in the conventional nonprofit sense, but we are led by an experienced executive team committed to person-centered, ethical care. +

SEO: Inspire Arts principals

Featuring community news that matters nationwide, Today Online and Today Magazine aim to record Connecticut’s underreported upside — covering the heart of the Farmington Valley and beyond

Today Online and Today Magazine are produced by Today Publishing

• 5 Farmington Valley Towns • 1 Aim – Exceptional Community Journalism

• Avon • Canton • Farmington • Granby • Simsbury • Connecticut • USA