1974 

Creative Growth opens as institutions close, establishing a model for a creative community guided by the principle that art is fundamental to human expression. Founded in the East Bay home of Elias Katz and Florence Ludins-Katz, it set a path for people with disabilities to express themselves and exhibit their work professionally.

1980s

Creative Growth moved to its current location on 24th Street, a 12,000 square foot former auto repair shop, marking a new era of expansion and artistic exploration.

LATE 1980s

Prominent American gallerists and critics took an interest in the drawings of Dwight Mackintosh, a painter who joined Creative Growth at the age of 72 after spending 56 years in psychiatric institutions, heralding a period of increasing recognition for the center's artists.

2001

Judith Scott, an artist with Down Syndrome, received worldwide acclaim for her fiber-art sculptures, featured in retrospectives across Chicago, Switzerland, Tokyo, and New York, symbolizing the growing international acclaim for Creative Growth's artists.

2008

Creative Growth opened Gallerie Impaire in Paris and sees its artists' work included in New York’s MoMA, underscoring a year of significant expansion and recognition.

2009

Marc by Marc Jacobs featured T-shirts, bags, and wallets designed by Creative Growth artists, blending fashion with art in a groundbreaking collaboration.

2014

John Martin is invited to create a site-specific installation at Facebook's Frank Gehry-designed campus, marking a milestone in the center's integration with Silicon Valley's culture of innovation.

2015

"The Arts & Eats Cookbook" paired food-inspired art by 16 Creative Growth artists with recipes from over 25 acclaimed Oakland restaurants.

2016

Creative Growth Magazine published its first issue featuring behind-the-scenes interviews, photos of artists in action, artist-imagined horoscopes, and more.

2018

Method soap bottles get a colorful makeover, showcasing Creative Growth's influence on commercial design and its artists' widespread appeal.

2022

Creative Growth celebrates a decade of Beyond Trend fashions with the launch of filmmaker Cheryl Dunn’s documentary “Beyond i wanna go”

2023

A pivotal moment in Creative Growth's history, its collaboration with the Oakland Museum of California for the "Into the Brightness" exhibition. This exhibition, a highlight in the center's five-decade journey, features a wide array of artworks from artists with developmental disabilities, spanning painting, sculpture, and multimedia. 

2023

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) and Creative Growth Art Center announce an unprecedented partnership that honors the emergence of the art and disability movement in the Bay Area and brings to the fore a critical and often overlooked aspect of the region’s artistic richness. Coinciding with Creative Growth’s 50th anniversary, the partnership encompasses the acquisition of more than 100 works created by artists associated with Creative Growth; the development of two exhibitions with Creative Growth artists; and the presentation of a series of events that will be activated over the course of three years.

2024

50 years ago, against a backdrop of political activism and the rising visibility of the disability rights movement, Creative Growth Art Center was founded in Oakland, California, as the first U.S. organization dedicated to supporting artists with developmental disabilities. Today, Creative Growth continues to serve as an international and national model in the field of art and disability.

In honor of Creative Growth’s milestone 50th anniversary and in celebration of SFMOMA’s unprecedented partnership with the organization announced last fall, the museum presents Creative Growth: The House That Art Built.

2024

Creative Growth Celebrates its 50th Anniversary Gala at SFMOMA featuring a Beyond Trend Fashion Show like never before.