About VSA arts
VSAarts
is an international, non profit
organization that celebrates the
power of the arts in the lives of
individuals with special needs.
An
affiliate of the John F. Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts,
VSA
arts
was 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
programming and initiatives are
guided by four essential principles:
-
Every
young person with a disability
deserves access to high quality
arts learning experiences.
-
All
artists in schools and art
educators should be prepared to
include students with
disabilities in their
instruction.
-
All
children, youth, and adults with
disabilities should have
complete access to cultural
facilities and activities.
-
All
individuals with disabilities
who aspire to careers in the
arts should have the opportunity
to develop appropriate skills.
VSA arts
defined four priority program areas
to facilitate understanding the
nature of affiliate programming from
state to state.
VSA
arts'
priority program areas are:
Educational Programs
-
Programs support academic
learning through
VSA arts
educational resources such as
Start with the Arts and Express
Diversity!
-
Artist residencies bring
professional artists to
pre-kindergarten through 12th
grade populations to teach in
school and community settings
-
Educational programs often
involve family and community
partnerships
Professional Development
-
Professional development for
teachers, artists, and arts
program staff addressing
critical information for
including students with
disabilities and integrating
arts into the classrooms
-
Programs that support the career
development of artists with
disabilities
-
Technical assistance to cultural
institutions focused on
improving physical and
programmatic access for people
with disabilities
Cultural Access
-
Services that ensure people with
disabilities have opportunities
to experience the arts as
audience or artist - for
example, audio description,
American Sign Language (ASL)
interpretation for arts
performances and exhibits
-
Physical and programmatic access
services such as accessibility
site surveys of cultural
organizations
Public Awareness Outreach
-
Arts
presentations for the community
including galleries, festivals,
exhibits, and performances
-
Awareness materials and
activities such as newsletters,
community presentations, and Web
site production to educate the
public about arts, education,
and disability topics
In
order to reach nearly five million
people annually,
VSA
arts
needs the support of its affiliates.
The efforts of the affiliate network
create a greater awareness and
understanding of the power of the
arts to change people's lives,
especially people with disabilities.
To learn more about
VSA
arts'
affiliates, please visit
www.vsarts.org
