VSA arts of Kentucky
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515 East 10th Street |
Ginny Miller |
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Tel.: (270) 781-0872 |
Website: |
Organizational Profile:
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Full-time Staff: 1 |
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VSA arts of Kentucky provides arts education and inclusion programs for children and adults with disabilities throughout the state and offers an underserved population equal opportunity and full access to explore the arts. Through involvement with trained professionals and volunteers, people with disabilities learn creative and social skills that open doors to new opportunities in the arts. Offices are located in Bowling Green and Frankfort, with programs and services conducted in all six congressional districts throughout the state. Of the more than 875,000 people in the state of Kentucky with some form of disability, 8.44% are students in Kentucky schools. Many individuals benefit from and contribute to arts-related educational and career opportunities by participating in VSA arts of Kentucky programs and services.
Programming Partners and Other Funders:
Kentucky Department of Education Division of Exceptional Children Services; VSA arts; WHAS Crusade for Children; City of Bowling Green; Kentucky Arts Council; Conference for Exceptional Children (CEC); Baker Arboretum; Bandy, Carroll, Hellige Public Relations; Capitol Arts Alliance; Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital; Lifeskills, Inc.; Kentucky Repertory Theatre; Public Theatre of Kentucky; Conference for Exceptional Children (CEC); Explorium; Hugh E. Sandefur Industries; West Kentucky Easter Seals; Kentucky Library and Museum; Murray State University; The Murray Art Guild; Spalding University; Mellwood Arts and Entertainment Center; The Center for Rural Development; The Lexington Art League; Jim Johnson Pontiac, Nissan, Hyundai; Kiwanis Club of Bowling Green. In-Kind Contributions: Emily Adams; Misha Ambrosia; B&J Gallery; Lynne Ferguson; Marsha Heidbrink; Ginny and Clayton Miller; Claci Miller Juday; Albert Nelson; Penny Nelson; Nell Peperis; Caden Plemmons; Delaire Rowe; Jessica Snodgrass; Jeannie Snodgrass; The Liberty Group; Weyerhauser Company
Educational Programs and Artist Residencies
Arts Inclusion Program
This program is designed to provide experiences in the arts for children of all abilities in mainstreamed settings. Classroom teachers and artists work together to plan inclusive arts residencies and projects for individual classrooms as well as large groups. This program reaches schools across the state in every congressional district and supports children in many underserved areas of the state.
Side by Side
Side by Side is a visual art program that provides mentoring collaboration for students paired with professional artists. Students attend studio art classes led by resident artists. The class series culminates with each Side by Side student artist creating a collaborative piece of artwork with a professional adult artist from his or her community in a one-on-one session. The program concludes with a public exhibition of a trio of pieces hung together—the individual student artwork, the collaborative piece, and the artwork by the professional artist. Side by Side is currently being conducted in Bowling Green, Lexington, Louisville, Murray, Paducah and Somerset.
The Artist Within: Disabling the Myth
Youth and adults with developmental disabilities participate in weekly visual art classes that culminate in public exhibitions. These classes are taught throughout the year and cover a wide spectrum of techniques, media, and processes. Current partners for this program include Lifeskills, Inc., in Bowling Green; Hugh E. Sandefur Industries in Henderson; and West Kentucky Easter Seals in Paducah.
Community Partnerships
VSA arts of Kentucky partners with organizations and agencies to bring art to clients in preschool through adult programs. These inclusive artist residencies range from puppetry, visual arts, music, songwriting, and clowning and include experiential opportunities to meet each individual’s needs.
Professional Development and Technical Assistance
Start with the Arts™
Start with the Arts™ is an accredited training practice provided for educators, librarians, caregivers, and parents involving inclusive hands-on, educational programs for young children based on commonly taught curriculum themes. Since 1995, more than 7,000 adults have been trained to enhance early childhood programs and curricula using the arts as a learning vehicle.
Artist Mentoring Program
This program is designed to assist new teaching artists adaptive strategies for working with students with disabilities and to increase their teaching skills. These artists work with and observe master artists in a residency environment prior to being listed on the Teaching Artist Roster. VSA arts of Kentucky understands and appreciates that each artist is unique in his or her approach and strives to make this program stimulating, helpful, and easily translated into individualized methods and endeavors.
Ronald J. Billings Emerging Artist Professional Development Program
This program allows artists with disabilities an opportunity to develop business skills, increase marketing knowledge, and further develop the quality of their work. It also allows artists to more effectively market and prepare themselves for professional opportunities. Visual artists are typically provided exhibition opportunities once they complete their work with this award. Artists in other genres are provided similar opportunities pertinent to their art form.
Cultural Access and Inclusive Arts Services
Access Services
This program provides access to the arts for cultural venues, agencies, and businesses. Services provided include, but are not limited to, American Sign Language interpretation for public performances; disability awareness workshops; and resources for teachers, parents, caregivers, and places of business.
Public Awareness and Outreach
Web Site and Arts for All Newsletter
The www.vsaky.org Web site and the Arts for All newsletter serve as resources to educators, artists, and cultural organizations looking for ways to provide arts programming and access to diverse populations. The site provides information about upcoming events, programs, resources, and related links.
A Matter of Perspective
A Matter of Perspective is an annual traveling exhibition that features artwork created by students with disabilities from across the state. Each year it is available for display free of charge to entities across the Commonwealth.
Young Soloists Award
VSA arts of Kentucky hosts a live adjudication to select the VSA arts of Kentucky Young Soloist Recipient. This search will be conducted to identify and recognize the exceptional talents of young instrumentalists and vocalists with disabilities. The selected recipient will be provided an opportunity to perform at various venues throughout the year. The state’s selection will also be considered for the VSA arts International Young Soloists program.
Tours and Calls
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Art on Tour
This tour will consist of a collection of exhibitions featuring selections from VSA arts of Kentucky programs. Art works will be provided for venues throughout the state upon request. -
All Kids Can…Create!
VSA arts of Kentucky will participate in the All Kids Can…Create! program by providing entries for the national call for art, with work secured through various education/classroom settings. -
The Call for Writing
VSA arts of Kentucky will target teachers in all six congressional districts to work with specifically on the Call for Writing. -
Bandy Carroll Hellige (BCH)
Bandy Carroll Hellige (BCH) is an advertising/public relations agency headquartered in Louisville. VSA arts of Kentucky will install four different exhibitions on all four floors of the BCH building. The exhibitions will feature work by students and adults with and without disabilities.
Student Artistic Excellence Awards
Educators are asked to nominate students in one of two categories: 1) a student with a disability who has shown excellence in the performing, visual, or literary arts; and 2) a student with a disability who has shown dramatic personal growth or leadership through participation in art activities. The awards will be presented in spring 2009.
Visual Arts Initiatives
The two categories included in this program include the VSA arts of Kentucky Gallery and A Matter of Perspective, the annual student traveling exhibition. The VSA arts of Kentucky Gallery is located at the VSA arts of Kentucky offices in Bowling Green. This gallery is an educational facility that will give emerging artists experiences that will help them learn to present themselves, and their art, in a professional manner to prospective galleries. VSA arts of Kentucky staff will be available to answer questions and give direction to any artist. Seven different exhibition opportunities are scheduled for this gallery throughout 2009 and will feature work by both students and adults with and without disabilities. The VSA arts of Kentucky Gallery participates in citywide arts events such as the Bowling Green Gallery Hop, International Festival Gallery Walk, and the World’s Greatest Studio Tour and Sale, which provide opportunities for the general public to participate and learn more about VSA arts of Kentucky’s mission and programs.
A Matter of Perspective is the VSA arts of Kentucky annual student call for art and traveling exhibition. This exhibition, featuring works of art created by students throughout Kentucky schools, will be highlighted at the annual Conference for Exceptional Children (CEC) in late November 2009. Afterward, it is available, free of charge, to schools and communities throughout the state. Educational materials will be included to each individual site that hosts the exhibit. These materials will include interactive lessons designed to engage students in the exhibition and create responses that will serve as visual, literary, and quantitative assessments.
(F) 202-429-0868