VSA arts of Tennessee
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1210 Lake Rise Place |
Lori Kissinger |
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Tel.: (615) 210-8819 |
Website: |
Organizational Profile:
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Full-time Staff: 1 |
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VSA arts of Tennessee provides opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in and express themselves through the arts and arts education. Activities are designed to create and support avenues of creative expression for people with disabilities; to promote disability awareness of creative endeavors; to help eliminate barriers for people with disabilities through the arts; and to support the efforts of professional artists with disabilities.
Programming Partners and Other Funders:
Volunteer State Community College; Belmont University; Middle Tennessee State University; Blair School of Music; Vanderbilt Kennedy Center Tennessee Arts Commission; ARC of Tennessee; Tennessee Department of Education; Country Music Hall of Fame; Orange Grove; Frist Center for the Visual Arts; Blue Bird Café; Tennessee Performing Arts Center; Allied Arts of Chattanooga; Full Circle Art; Tennessee School for the Blind; Tennessee State Government (for the use of Legislative Plaza); Harman Automotive; First Tennessee Bank; Publix Super Market Charities; Lions Club; Rotary; Wal-Mart; Middle Tennessee Community Foundation; Department of Developmental Disabilities; Grand Old Dulcimer Club; Cumberland Pharmaceuticals, State Auto Insurance, East Tennessee Foundation; B & W Y-12; CVS Pharmacies.
Education Programs and Artist Residencies
Artist Residencies
VSA arts of Tennessee coordinates a statewide artist residency program that involves five intensive, yearlong artist residencies in the east, middle, and west portions of Tennessee. These residencies are done in cooperation with the Tennessee Department of Education. From these residencies, three research articles about the arts and disabilities have been selected for publication. In the annual review, this program received one of the highest assessment ratings from the Tennessee Department of Education.
Workshops/Classes
Workshops and classes are offered for children with disabilities. In 2009, children with autism will learn the art of cartooning and have their work critiqued by an editor to help them pursue these skills as a possible career. Additional classes are in the planning stages.
Art Institute
Each summer, VSA arts Tennessee hosts a one-week art institute at Volunteer State Community College. Children with and without disabilities learn about a selected culture through dance, drama, literature, music and the visual arts. The week culminates in a public performance and exhibition that showcases what the children have learned.
Professional Development and Technical Assistance
Start with the Arts™ Workshops
VSA arts of Tennessee provides workshops for elementary and middle school special education teachers using the VSA arts Start with the Arts™ resource, as well as research and other educational materials.
Artist Training
This program component offers professional development training for artists with disabilities in areas such as portfolio development, marketing, and communications.
Service Learning
Groups of students at Middle Tennessee State University connect projects that link art, disabilities, and communication.
Value Plus Schools
The Tennessee Arts Commission asked VSA arts of Tennessee to be a partner in its Value Plus Schools program, a one-week intensive summer training for rural schools in various arts issues. VSA arts of Tennessee handles the training regarding adaptation and arts for children with disabilities.
Cultural Access and Inclusive Arts Services
Accessibility
VSA arts of Tennessee and the Tennessee Arts Commission will be working to begin the creation of an accessibility network. Details on this project will be available in mid-2009.
Public Awareness and Outreach
Tennessee Dulcimer Choir
In 2008, VSA arts of Tennessee sent professional dulcimer players into special education classrooms to introduce children to the history and performance techniques of the mountain dulcimer. Eight students were selected to form a Dulcimer Choir. These individuals were inducted into the choir at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and presented with their own instrument. They are also receiving free dulcimer lessons for the next four years through Belmont University.
The Blair School of Music has also partnered with VSA arts of Tennessee to continue to search and train other potential children for the choir. In the spring of 2009, the goal is to have the Tennessee Dulcimer Choir become a performing group for community events.
Quarterly Newsletter
VSA arts of Tennessee provides a weekly online e-mail newsletter on its programs, services, and opportunities for artists with disabilities.
Performing Arts Showcase
At least once a year, VSA arts of Tennessee presents a showcase of professional musicians and dancers with disabilities. The showcase has taken place at the Blue Bird Café, Ryman Auditorium, the Wildhorse, Country Music Hall of Fame, and Dollywood.
Exhibitions
At least three exhibitions of art by individuals with disabilities are showcased each year. VSA arts of Tennessee work with the Tennessee Performing Arts Center to have an annual showcase in the summer of children’s art. The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center works with VSA arts of Tennessee to host an annual exhibition of art by individuals with Autism. VSA arts of Tennessee hosts at least one other exhibition at various sites. VSA arts of Tennessee is working to cultivate additional exhibitions online.
CVS All Kids Can Program
VSA arts of Tennessee participates in the VSA arts and CVS Caremark All Kids Can…Create! and Call to Innovate programs. For both of these programs, VSA arts of Tennessee works with the Tennessee School for the Blind and offers a variety of residency programs in which the children create visual and performance art. The program culminates in a public performance and exhibition.
ArtLink
VSA arts of Tennessee formed a partnership with the Madison School to participate in the national VSA arts ArtLink program for international art exchange. In this program, children at the Madison School create art and then share that art with a partner school in another country.
Young Soloists
VSA arts of Tennessee’s statewide Young Soloists Award program for performing artists, ages 25 and under, recognizes outstanding young musicians with disabilities who have exhibited exceptional talent as vocalists or instrumentalists. The top two statewide winners receive cash prizes, a performance opportunity, and a recording session.
Playwright Discovery
This statewide Playwright Discovery Program asks middle and high school students of all abilities to take a closer look at the world around them, examine how disability affects their lives and the lives of others, and express their views through the art of writing a one-act play. In March, the young playwrights submit entries to VSA arts of Tennessee for adjudication.
Online Auction
The online auction is a fundraiser for VSA arts Tennessee. It is also serves as a promotional effort for artists with disabilities and arts organizations. Artists with disabilities can sell their work on the auction and VSA arts of Tennessee receives a portion of those proceeds.
Community Art Projects
VSA arts of Tennessee typically offers two to three additional one-time projects each year. These have involved scouts, schools, and other community groups. Last year, one such program involved the creation of a large canvas painting of a historical Little Tunnel by a special education class. The painting was presented in the State’s Senate Chambers.
(F) 202-429-0868