It’s nearly impossible to sum up Eric Clow’s contributions to Art Spark Texas in a few hundred words, but going over it all, a strong theme emerges: As much as he’s helped others, they’ve also helped him in equal measure. Beginning in 2012 when he came in to talk to kids about radio with KOOP radio programmer Thor Armbruster (2022 Lynn Marie Johnson Media Arts Award winner), Eric seemed to touch ever wider groups of people by taking on one role after another. During the radio camp, he met Celia Hughes, and in short order was running a music camp, figuring out how to use software like GarageBand by also teaching it to disabled kids.
“It was just a very powerful experience of learning, and when you give back as you teach and help other people to realize their art, there’s not many better feelings in the world really,” Eric says. “It’s such a powerful and just moving experience.”
By summer 2013 Eric started four years of co-creating and co-teaching the Opening Minds Opening Doors program alongside Chris Strickling, coordinating showcases, conferences and new programs across Texas. For five years, he co-hosted the Lion and Pirate open mics at the old Malvern Books, improving his music chops by writing and performing a new song every month. He also helped lead the ATXgo! project, building an online accessibility guide to Austin’s performance venues and museums, and arranging in-person visits to over 70 park facilities in the area and surrounding counties. The database includes contact info and listings for over 900 parks. And there are many other projects he participated in as well.
“You look at any community that Art Spark Texas has created and … the aim of all of them [is] showing you what disabled people are capable of,” Eric says.
“Arts Spark is still very, very dear to me,” he says. “Now I’m on the outside just continuing to support the mission any way I can because I think it’s making the arts accessible for everyone, [which] is such an important purpose.”
These days, as a writer, birder, birding coordinator and podcaster, Eric uses the many skills he honed at Art Spark Texas.
“I feel like those are the main ways [it has benefited me] — and, of course, in meeting and introducing me to my wife, [writer Nicole Corticchiato,]” Eric says. “That was kind of life-changing too.” Nicole was project facilitator for OMOD. The two have been married for six years.