Arts Opportunities

New York State Resources

ARTS ABLED- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/artsabled/
Arts Abled serves the needs of agencies, artist, students, teachers, educational administrators, parents of children with disabilities and others engaged in special education programs throughout New York State by gathering, organizing, and publishing information about the current arts in education experiences of persons with disabilities.
 

New York Foundation for the Arts: Arts Wire - www.nyfa.org
NYFA is a nonprofit organization and one of the largest U.S. providers of grants and services to individual artists and arts-related organizations in all artistic disciplines.  Through its fellowships, residencies, sponsorships, loans, telecommunications, information, and advocacy services, NYFA works with and for artists and arts organizations throughout New York State and nationally to bring the work of contemporary artists to the public's attention.

155 Avenue of the Americas, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10013-1507
Phone: 212-366-6900
Fax: 212-366-1778
nyfainfo@nyfa.org

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Regional Resources

Capital Region

Living Resources: The Carriage Arts Center www.livingresources.org
A dream to provide quality art instruction to artists with disabilities came into reality when the arts center opened its doors in the beginning of 1997. Located at 6A Cuyler Avenue in historic Albany, New York, the 1925 carriage house provides a stimulating and imaginative setting.

Sunnyview Hospital Viewpoint Gallery: National Acquisitions Exhibition - http://www.sunnyview.org/artShow/artshow.cfm
Sunnyview Hospital Viewpoint Gallery: National Acquisitions Exhibition for Artists with Disabilities is a professionally managed, juried, national exhibition for artists with disabilities.  It offers the artist an opportunity to exhibit in a group exhibition of his or her peers, award recognition, sales and the possibility of having a work acquired for inclusion into the Viewpoint Gallery art collection.  Accepting the artwork of both professional and amateur artists, the exhibition is a showplace for a myriad of artistic levels of self-expression including naïve, outsider and raw art, to more traditional forms by established painters, photographers, and sculptors.

(518) 386-3520
rdaly@sunnyview.org

 

The Arts Center of the Capital Region- Troy: www.artscenteronline.org
Dedicated to engaging people from every walk of life and corner of the region in making and experiencing the arts, The Arts Center offers exhibitions of high-quality contemporary and folk (traditional) art, classes for adults and children, grant programs for artists and organizations, performances in the Joseph L. Bruno Theatre and a host of other programs.  Community Arts$Grants for Organizations are community arts and cultural programming grants in Albany, Rensselaer and Schenectady County to enhance access to arts in all communities throughout the region.

265 River Street
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 273-0552

 

 

Central NY

The Family Wellness Institute - www.thefamilywellnessinstitute.org
The Family Wellness Institute in Auburn, NY is non-profit organization providing quality programming in a warm, welcoming atmosphere.  The philosophy of The Family Wellness Institute is that any skill or activity must be based first and foremost upon establishing relationships with others.  In addressing individual differences within relationships we aim to meet the needs of the community at large by providing inclusive courses for infants, children, and their parents.

Karin Moskov: karinmoskov@yahoo.com
Bob Trapani: btrapotr@hotmail.com
(315) 876-9511

 

The Magic Paintbrush Project - www.magicpaintbrushproject.org
The Magic Paintbrush Project is an arts program that focuses on the family while embracing the challenge of a special needs diagnosis, therapeutic regimen, and daily living.  The Project expands the boundaries and relationships between the special needs individual and their caregivers, celebrating their unique style, and creating experiences that will last a lifetime.  Activities are appropriate for all ages and abilities, with each session being individually tailored to the needs of the participants.  Workshops can include painting, clay, collage, and more. Our trained staff facilitates the workshops and encourages participants and families to have fun while expanding their expectations.

19 Chenango Street
Binghamton, New York, 13901
(607) 656-4127 Office
(607) 656-4412 Fax

Hudson Valley

Jess Because Inc. - www.jessbecause.org
Jess Because Inc. is a safe, welcoming place where students with developmental, physical and emotional disabilities will be welcomed to experience art that they create without rigid prescriptions.  Jess Because provides the technical knowledge and artistic tools that students can use to learn at their own pace, using the arts as an outlet for the expression of their feelings, hopes and dreams.

Jess Because, Inc.
P.O. Box 374
Crompond, NY 10517
(914) 526-8245

 

Khoros Performing Arts Company for Kids - www.khoroskids.com
KHOROS Performing Arts Company for Kids is a community based performing arts company for child-centered musical theater.  The company combines the art forms of performance, dance and drama, music and voice, as well as language forms of spoken English, signed English and American Sign Language (ASL).  The population of KHOROS is from ages six through young adult inclusive of hearing and deaf youth.  Older participants are trained to become mentors to the younger participant in all aspects of the performing arts and sign language.

New York City

Def Dance Jam Workshop - www.defdancejam.org
Def Dance Jam Workshop is an inter-generational company of deaf, hearing and physically or developmentally challenged artists committed to strengthening the relationship between the “differently able” and “traditionally able” communities.  Combining dance poetry, song, storytelling and American Sign Language in its original work, DDJW seeks to inspire, edify and empower audiences, fostering inclusiveness in the arts where exclusiveness is often perceived.

P. O. Box 3092
Manhattanville Station
Harlem, New York 10027
Tel: 212.694.0477
info@defdancejam.org


HAI (Hospital Audiences, Inc.) www.hospitalaudiences.org
HAI is a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization founded in 1969 by Michael Jon Spencer. Each year, HAI reaches an audience of more than 360,000 people in the New York City community whose access to the arts has been limited by health, age or income. HAI provides cultural access through music, dance, theatre and the visual arts, reaching out to the frail elderly, people with mental and physical disabilities, seriously ill children at health and social service facilities and youth in grades K - 12.

 

Interactive Drama for Education and Awareness in Schools (IDEAS) - www.ideasdrama.org
Expanding on traditional role-play techniques and improvisation, using drama and theater as a teaching and learning tool, IDEAS strives to bring dramatic arts as a way of education for youth with disabilities and other disadvantages.  In response to the lack of direct theater arts experiences for youth with disadvantages and disabilities, IDEAS offers a variety of drama in education programs.  Participants in I.D.E.A.S.’ programs have the opportunity to creatively experience a variety of situations through the theater technique of improvisation.  They respond to themes through characters they create, with props and costumes at hand.  All activities emphasize respect and cooperation and are a catalyst for personal growth, development and learning.

98 4th Street, Suite 305
Brooklyn, NY 11231
718-387-5055
info@ideasdrama.org

 

Marquis Studios - www.marquisstudios.org
Marquis Studios provides a variety of arts-in-education services to New York City public schools and seeks to foster partnerships between teaching artists and classroom teachers by providing arts programs as a supplement to traditional classroom teaching techniques.  Their team of 30 artists provides residencies and staff development and parent/child workshops in disciplines as diverse as puppetry, circus, mural-making, music, drawing, painting, storytelling, and movement.  These workshops stress teacher/artist partnerships and development of higher-order thinking skills (self-evaluation, application of learned skills, problem-solving and critical thinking).

45 Main Street
Suite 612
Brooklyn
NY 11201
718-694-9400
Fax 694-0106

 

Theater By The Blind - www.tbtb.org
Theater By The Blind is a critically acclaimed company made up of both visually impaired and sighted theatre professionals.  The company’s mission is to change the image of the blind from one of dependence to independence, to fight the stereotypes and misperceptions associated with blindness, and to show how vibrant, fluid and exuberant the visually impaired can be. Theater By The Blind is the only theater in the United States doing quality professional work to achieve this goal.

Theater By The Blind
306 West 18th Street, #3A
New York, NY 10011
(212) 243-4337
gar@nyc.rr.com

 

The Waterways Project of Ten Penny Players - www.tenpennyplayers.org
The Waterways Project of Ten Penny Players arts in education program uses the arts to integrate literacy, creative expression, publishing, performance, service learning, computer skills, and critical thinking into a curriculum created for a network of schools, libraries, community based organizations, and distant learners. Through workshops, publications and performances, Waterways encourages all participants including teaching artist as well as artist with disabilities to actively engage in creative communities.

The Waterways Project of Ten Penny Players
393 Saint Pauls Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10304
718-442-7429

Western NY

People Inc. and The Arts Experience
www.people-inc.org
People Inc. is Western New York's leading non-profit human services agency. Through a variety of services including residential, employment, community outreach, health care and recreation programs, we help seniors, families and people with disabilities live more healthy, independent and productive lives.  The Arts Experience at People Inc. offers opportunities for people with special needs in dance and the visual arts.

People Inc. and The Arts Experience
1219 North Forest Road
P.O. Box 9033
Williamsville, New York 14231
716-634-8132
Toll Free 1-800-7PEOPLE
Fax: 716.634.3889

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National Resources

VSAarts - www.vsarts.org
VSA arts is an international, nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where all people with disabilities learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts. VSA arts administers numerous awards and events that recognize the artistic achievements of young artists with disabilities. Most importantly though, the success of VSA arts’ programs depend on the active participation of people like you - parents, volunteers, teachers, trainers, artists, health specialists and other experts who play an important part in all of our programs.

818 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite 600
Washington, D.C. 20006
(P) 202-628-2800, 800-933-8721
(F) 202-429-0868
(TDD) 202-737-0645

VSAarts Williamstown Theatre Festival – www.wtfestival.org
VSA arts partners with the renowned Williamstown Theatre Festival in Williamstown, Massachusetts to continue the VSA arts Apprenticeship.  The VSA arts Apprenticeship provides a unique insight into the world of a professional theater for students with a disability, ages 19 – 24, interested in expanding their theater education and knowledge.  Every summer, the Williamstown Theatre Festival Apprentice Program offers 70 promising students classes in acting, voice, and movement.  Discussions and master classes with notable professionals are also a part of the apprentice experience.  Apprentices also learn about the different aspects of running a professional theater company by working in each of the various departments at the Festival on a rotating basis. Many former apprentices have gone on to successful careers in the professional theater.

818 Connecticut Ave. N.W.
Suite 600
Washington, D.C. 20006
(P) 202-628-2800, 800-933-8721
(F) 202-429-0868
(TDD) 202-737-0645

 

Embracing Inclusion: A Program of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America - www.bgca.org
This initiative of the Boys and Girls Club of America provides resources to enhance the BGCA’s services to youth with disabilities within fun, safe environments.  BGCA is working with Kids Included Together (KIT) to provide Club professionals and volunteers with effective strategies, tools and best practices for recruiting more youth with disabilities and serving them more effectively. Funded by Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation.  Find the Boys and Girls Club closest to you by visiting www.bgca.org/clubs.