Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) — Northwest Florida’s champion of the arts for all abilities — made creating art its mission for nearly 400 local students.
The week of April 8, artist/inventor Dwayne Szot — founder of Zot Artz — returned as an art partner with Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation’s ArtsReach residency program.
This time, Szot lead two full-day hands-on creative residencies for K-12 students with special needs at two Walton County schools located in Santa Rosa Beach: South Walton Academy and Walton County School District Special Olympics Field Day at Emerald Coast Middle School.
The South Walton Academy Adaptive Arts Day served around 175 K-12 students of all abilities. The Walton County School District Special Olympics Field Day served around 215 K-12 students with special needs in 15 schools from Walton County School District, plus Westinwood Ranch, a holistic learning program based in Freeport, Florida for individuals with Developmental Differences.
In 2024, MKAF presented around 140 ArtsReach programs — a record 71 percent increase over the previous year. Since it was established in 1995, MKAF estimates its outreach has impacted more than 400,000 in the local Northwest Florida community.
Arts for All Abilities initiative is unique in the area. MKAF is the only arts organization that has a specific program initiative to deliver arts to people of all abilities.
Proceeds from MKAF-produced events fund the MKAF’s community outreach mission to provide cultural outreach programs through ArtsReach serving K-12 students, adults and children with special needs, at-risk youth, and through MKAF’s Warrior Arts program serving active/veteran military.
For more information about becoming an MKAF member, sponsoring, volunteering to attending MKAF events, visit MKAF.org or call (850) 650-2226.
Author: Sowal Editor
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