VSA arts of Minnesota
is a statewide nonprofit organization that has been serving the
arts, disability and education communities since 1986. Its programs
and services make the arts—music, theater, dance,
writing and visual arts—accessible and available to children
and adults with disabilities throughout the state. With its office
in Hennepin Center for the Arts in downtown Minneapolis, it is a
member of the network of VSA arts, which currently includes 48 national
and 64 international organizations. VSA arts (formerly known as Very
Special Arts) was founded by Jean Kennedy Smith and is currently
an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
in Washington, D.C.
VSA arts of Minnesota
consists of three full-time staff—Craig
Dunn, Jon Skaalen and Amie Pence—but the number of people and
organizations using and benefiting from its programs and services
point to something much larger. During the past year, its programs
have touched 4,200 students and 1,100 adults in direct programming
activities. In addition, at least 6,000 people have become more aware
of the organization’s
programming through a newsletter, community visual arts exhibits
and a highly accessible Web site www.vsaartsmn.org
VSA arts of Minnesota conducts its programming across four areas:
Arts in Education programs bring artists with and without disabilities
into classrooms and community settings to work with young people with
disabilities. This includes assembly presentations, extended artist
residencies and one-day arts festivals.
Professional Development
workshops provide opportunities for teaching artists and classroom
teachers to learn how to work with students across various disabilities
and how to use the arts to better engage this diverse group. Two
programs for adults – the annual Artist Recognition
Grant program (six $1,000 grants to individuals working in the arts)
and the Career Development for Artists with Disabilities program – also
fall into this category.
Cultural Access is a
program less visible to the general public but one with the broadest
impact and the longest existence. Access to Performing Arts provides
information, marketing and financial assistance to performing arts
organizations to increase their outreach and accessibility to people
who are blind, low vision, deaf or hard of hearing. Additional
assistance to arts organizations around the state is available
to ensure that their facilities and program offerings are usable
by people with all types of disabilities.
Arts and Disability
Awareness programs include, in addition to exhibits, newsletters
and Web site, annual Arts Access Awards to recognize individuals
and organizations for making the arts available and accessible
to people with disabilities. Each awardee receives The Jaehny,
an original artwork created by a Minnesota artist with a disability
and named for organization co-founder Jaehn Clare. Nominations
for this year’s award are
being accepted through August 24. ![]()
For news or assistance
about these arts and disability opportunities,
check the VSA arts of Minnesota Web site, www.vsaartsmn.org,
call 612-332-3888 or 1-800-801-3883 (V/TTY), or e-mail info@vsaartsmn.org
