VSA New Mexico
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4904 4th Street NW |
Marjorie Neset |
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Tel.: (505) 345-2872 |
Website: |
Organizational Profile:
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Full-time Staff: 32 |
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VSA New Mexico nurtures and celebrates the creative spirit of people of all abilities through education, outreach, exhibitions, and performances. VSA New Mexico offers inclusive arts education, creative employment and training, production, exhibition, and presentation opportunities for all New Mexicans, with a focus on people with disabilities and other diverse social and cultural communities. VSA New Mexico owns and operates the North Fourth Art Center, which houses a variety of resources including arts studios, classrooms, a fully accessible 150-seat black box theater, and lobby/gallery space. Through the North Fourth Art Center’s inclusive programs and statewide outreach, VSA New Mexico enriches the community and enhances the lives of people with disabilities.
Programming Partners and Other Funders:
Albuquerque Public Schools; Albert Pierce Foundation, Bernalillo County, Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation; City of Albuquerque Urban Enhancement Trust Fund; City of Albuquerque Family and Community Services Department; Corporation for National Service/AmeriCorps; LEF Foundation; McCune Charitable Foundation; National Endowment for the Arts; Native American Community Academy, New Mexico Arts; New Mexico Commission on Community Volunteerism/ AmeriCorps; Performing Arts Public Academy; State of New Mexico Department of Health, State of New Mexico Cultural Services Department, Long-Term Services Division; Daniels Fund and Western States Arts Federation
Educational Programs and Artist Residencies
Day Arts Classroom Program
The Day Arts Classroom Program is a full-day program that offers adults with developmental disabilities a broad array of classes in the visual, performing, literary, and multimedia arts, as well as performance and exhibition opportunities.
Exploratory Arts Program
Exploratory Arts Program is a dynamic open space designed for artists who work best in a flexible environment. Individuals are provided guided instruction and support in arts and crafts, music and dance, life skills, and community inclusion.
Arts Adventures
Arts Adventures is an arts-based activities program for children with autism and a family respite service. It is led by VSA New Mexico staff and taught by professionally trained and educated staff and AmeriCorps volunteers. Projects, classes and activities include an array of visual and performing opportunities and “arts adventures.”
Visiting Artist Workshop Program
Through the Visiting Artists Workshop program, performing artists from around the world conduct workshops throughout the year with students in the Day Arts Classroom and Exploratory Programs and with members of the community. During the 2009-10 school year, residencies will include dance and theater workshops taught by Native American artists from the U.S. and Canada as well as artists from several African countries (including professional artists with disabilities from Mozambique).
Expressions!
Expressions! provides arts classes and arts-based therapeutic activities in the community for individuals with mental health concerns. Every Thursday evening Expressions! offers free classes in visual arts at North Fourth Art Center, providing adults with mental illness quality instruction in the arts. Two sections exist so that those intent upon improving their professional qualifications can move ahead and others can work on arts activities in a safe and welcoming environment at their own pace.
Professional Development and Technical Assistance
N4th AmeriCorps Gallery
The N4th AmeriCorps Gallery will continue to be managed as a training program with one professionally trained AmeriCorps volunteer in charge. The educational arm of the gallery program will include two new initiatives: 1) The curator of the Day Arts Program will train one Day Arts–Visual Arts participant to assist in a variety of roles, and 2) the AmeriCorps Gallery teacher/curator will train a small cadre of youngsters from the community centers (with and without disabilities) to assist in all exhibition-related tasks.
Cultural Access and Inclusive Arts Services
Art-Inclusion
The purpose of the Art-Inclusion program is to work toward full accessibility for VSA New Mexico artists, apprentice artists, students, volunteers, and staff with and without disabilities. This program includes elements of physical and programmatic access as well as free tickets for all performances for people with disabilities from all of VSA New Mexico’s programs and, frequently, for individuals with unique needs from other community programs.
Public Awareness and Outreach Programs
Presenting Artists with Disabilities
VSA New Mexico has a commitment to present professional artists of excellence and innovation who have disabilities as part of all of its programs including Global DanceFest, Wild Dancing West, Two Worlds and on a regular basis during daytime classroom hours for Day Arts students.
VSA New Mexico Statewide Outreach
Work from Day Arts will be exhibited in the community and across the state at the New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair; Albuquerque Home and Garden Fair; Great Southwestern Antique Show; Abiquiu/Ghost Ranch Peidra Lumbre and Visitor Center; and the Eula Mae Edwards Museum and Gallery.
AmeriCorps Volunteer Program
VSA New Mexico’s AmeriCorps is a year-round program that includes 15 AmeriCorps volunteers working within the Day Arts programs, the Arts Adventures program and with youth at the City of Albuquerque’s new teen center, Warehouse 508.
(F) 202-429-0868