Poster advertising the Unmasking Through Art event features a kaleidoscopic picture in various shades of purple.

The Koegel Autism Center’s Creative Club and community groups will hold the third annual Neurodivergent-Curated Art Show, Unmasking Through Art, 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7 at Koegel Autism Center on the UC Santa Barbara campus. The event is free to attend.

The center’s Creative Club is a community of neurodivergent adults and allies that meets once a week to share experiences, inspiration, and time with one another.

Through the art show, the Koegel Autism Center hopes to uplift neurodivergent artists and members of the greater Santa Barbara community who identify with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, epilepsy, hyperlexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, OCD, and Tourette syndrome.

Artists, musicians and performers working with all forms of art — including painting, writing, drawing, spoken word, sculpture, music, digital work, photography, and video – are encouraged to participate.

Creators will have the opportunity to place their works for sale, with 100% of the proceeds going to the artist.

The topic behind works submitted need not be related to the subject of neurodiversity. All are welcome to share their experience of thinking differently as it relates to creating art.

Artists and performers interested in participating should complete this Google Form. Email hannahcrousore@ucsb.edu with any questions.

Sociologist Judy Singer, who created the term “neurodivergent,” originally intended it to focus on the positive aspects of alternative ways of thinking and learning. Instead of an emphasis on deficits, impairments, and disorders, her hope was to move toward understanding and embracing the diversity and capabilities of all people. 

The Koegel Autism Center, at the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at UCSB, is internationally recognized for its innovative autism research and clinical training.

Led by its director Dr. Ty Vernon and clinical director Dr. Anna Krasno, the center focuses on the development and implementation of strength-based, motivational support services, interventions, and psychological evaluations for individuals with autism and their families.