For donations please contact:

  Vicky Castro
  Executive Director of
  Advancement
  Department of Pediatrics –
  MCCD
  1601 NW 12t Avenue, D-820,
  Room 3047
  Miami, FL 33136
  305-243-6123

ArtAbilities Collection

About Us

The Mailman Center for Child Development at the University Of Miami Miller School Of Medicine is named in honor of the philanthropists Abraham and Joseph Mailman.  The Center is a major component of the School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics where research, training and service are integrated to improve the services and supports needed by children with special needs and their families.

The Mailman Center provides evaluation, diagnostic and intervention services to more than 10,000 children and adults with complex developmental challenges. Areas of emphasis include: academic achievement, behavior, medical and health issues, growth and development, speech and language development and family relationships.  In particular we pride ourselves on our responsiveness to the multicultural diversity of our community.  One of our successful programs is the ArtAbilities Collection created by children with disabilities.

About the Project

ArtAbilities was initiated in 1995 as a way to select a child’s drawing for the front cover of the Center’s new brochure.  As the ArtAbilities Collection celebrates its ten-year anniversary it continues to serve as a mechanism to reveal and to highlight the artistic abilities of children with disabilities, who are so often singled out for their limitations.  This project offers children and adolescents a unique opportunity to compete with their peers and experience success.

Each year The Mailman Center selects new art works created by children between the ages of 5 and 21 in Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Exceptional Student Educational program.  On average 140 art pieces are submitted and about 35 are selected to become part of the ArtAbilities Collection.  The winners and their families are invited to a special ceremony honoring their art, where students   receive an art medal and monetary award.  The project truly has been instrumental in opening up opportunities for “our young artists”. 

As a non profit organization we depend upon the generosity of our supporters.  A philanthropic gift given in honor of one or more of our student artists is a wonderful way to support the program.  The funds are used to sustain ArtAbilities & its traveling exhibitions, funds for students to attend summer art camps and for special research and training programs.  ArtAbilities would like to thank and acknowledge the following funders for their support:

For additional information on the ArtAbilities Program and sponsorship opportunities please call 305-243-4466 or e-mail wcastro@med.miami.edu.