GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., (March 7, 2014) Delight Lester believes everyone should have access to the arts, regardless of any physical conditions of disabilities. For years, she’s been running a studio to offer dance, music, drama and art classes to special needs students of all ages.
“Everybody can be an artist, given the opportunity, given access,” Lester told FOX 17 News. “We have students with different abilities and I think one of the things that gets forgotten and missed sometimes is it’s really about art.”
The cozy studio, called Arts in Motion, is tucked away in the East Hills neighborhood in Grand Rapids. What started with just one class and 10-15 students has grown to six classes per week and around 200 registered students.
Lester said no one is turned away or told they can’t participate.
“If you see what the kids are doing, they’re good dancers. Some of the artwork is amazing,” Lester said. “My students bring me an awareness of how important it is to live in the present. They also share their insight with me to how they see the world, which to me is very magical.”
Lester is currently running the studio full-time.
Arts in Motions relies heavily on fundraisers to offer scholarships and programming to students.
For more information, or to donate to Arts in Motion, click here.