VSA arts of Michigan
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P.O. Box 02805 |
Lora Frankel |
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Tel.: (313) 823-3303 |
Website: |
Organizational Profile:
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Full-time Staff: 1 |
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VSA arts of Michigan promotes creative power in people with disabilities and works to create an inclusive society where people with disabilities participate in, learn through, excel in, and enjoy the arts. VSA arts of Michigan increases educational and community arts opportunities for individuals with disabilities throughout the state, and promotes the need for arts education. VSA arts of Michigan also provides direct assistance to volunteers in the areas of program development, fundraising, public relations, and community networking to plan and implement programming that benefits thousands of individuals with disabilities in their respective communities.
Programming Partners and Other Funders:
Programming partners include the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs; MARO Employment and Training Association; Michigan Statewide Independent Living Council; Char-Em Intermediate School District (ISD); Copper Country Community Mental Health; Dearborn Community Arts Council; Dennos Museum Center; Flint Community Schools; Genesee ISD; Glen Oaks Community College; Greater Flint Arts Council; Red Ink Studios in Flint; Schoolcraft Community College; Traverse Bay Area ISD; and Washtenaw ISD.
Funders include the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan; The Skillman Foundation; The Kresge Foundation; Ruth Mott Foundation; School District of the City of Highland Park; City of Detroit Neighborhood Opportunity Fund; Comerica; and the Detroit Free Press Summer Dreams program.
Educational Programs and Artist Residencies
artsJAM Detroit! Gallery and Studio Program
The artsJAM Detroit Gallery and Studio program provides an opportunity for young people with disabilities to learn a variety of arts media through mentoring by professional teaching artists. Participants are engaged in setting their own goals for participation, developing portfolios, gaining work and social skills, and assessing their progress on an ongoing basis. Youth are given opportunities to share their accomplishments with parents, families, and friends at performances and exhibitions. They are also provided opportunities to visit arts and cultural institutions in the community and attend theater, dance, and music performances. The program is conducted at the VSA arts of Michigan home base at 100 West Alexandrine, Osborn High School in Detroit, and at several schools and community arts venues in Flint.
artsJAM Detroit! Work Alternatives for Youth Program
This summer program employs young people, ages 14–22, who live in Detroit, Highland Park, and Hamtramck. They are hired at minimum wage to work seven hours per day, four days per week, for three to six weeks. These employees, mentored by professional teaching artists, choreograph dance, create drama, compose music, write poetry, and create works of visual art. With the assistance of a social worker, they assess their participation and record their daily experiences in journals. They are also given opportunities to contribute to their communities and develop a culminating event, attended by families and friends, at the end of the summer that celebrates their accomplishments.
Artists-in-Residence Programs
VSA arts of Michigan collaborates with educators in elementary and secondary schools to integrate dance, drama, music, and visual arts with the language arts, math, science, and social studies curricula in inclusive and special education classrooms. Residencies include planning meetings with teaching artists and school staff, in-service workshops for teachers and paraprofessionals, classroom observations by the artists, classroom workshops taught by the artists, evaluation sessions with teachers, and culminating events to give opportunities to students and teaching artists to exhibit or perform their creative work.
Educational Workshops
One- to five-hour workshops conducted by professional teaching artists are provided for children, youth, and adults with disabilities that demonstrate how the arts benefit learning. In some instances, a series of three to four hour-long workshops are taught by the same artist. Workshops take place in schools as well as in art and community centers.
Professional Development and Technical Assistance
Community Outreach
Training and technical assistance for VSA arts of Michigan district volunteer coordinators are available through ongoing communication and meetings to assist with program development, fundraising, publicity, and volunteer recruitment and retention. Each year a Volunteer Leadership Development Institute is offered at a conference center on Higgins Lake.
Artist Services
VSA arts of Michigan responds to requests from artists with disabilities for information, resources, and assistance with career development. Staff members assist the artists in evaluating their needs and developing a plan for providing necessary services, which may include development of portfolios and marketing materials. VSA arts of Michigan is offering a series of workshops throughout 2009 that will assist artists in career development. A database of artists is maintained and, as opportunities arise for exhibiting or performing, they are informed by an e-mail Listserv and/or via direct mail.
Workshops
VSA arts of Michigan offers half- to full-day workshops for educators upon request. School districts and individual schools are invited to contact the state office and request a workshop. Schools are matched with teaching artists in the media of their choice and purchase workshops on a fee-for-service basis. Workshops are also conducted at arts, education, and disability conferences.
Cultural Access and Inclusive Arts Services
Workshops and Site Surveys
VSA arts of Michigan provides disability awareness and access training workshops, accessibility site surveys, and information and resources for arts and cultural organizations and institutions in Michigan.
Inclusive Arts Services include:
Arts for All—A rental/lending process established for the use of art tools that were created by Michigan native Dwayne Szot. Affiliated VSA arts of Michigan district organizations may borrow the tools, and other organizations rent them. Training sessions in the use of the tools are offered for a fee.
Tickets to Theatre, Dance, and Music Performances—Complimentary tickets or tickets purchased at group rates are provided to children, youth, and adults with disabilities and their families.
Kids on the Block—Third-grade students in the Traverse City area are provided puppet performances that address a variety of disability issues.
ASL Interpretation—VSA arts of Michigan, Grand Traverse area, and the Traverse City Symphony Orchestra collaborate to provide sign- interpreted performances and an instrument “petting zoo” at family concerts.
Michigan Youth Arts Festival
High-school youth with disabilities who participate in the artsJAM program and/or exhibit their work in the Emerging Artists’ Touring Exhibition attend this three-day festival at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo in May. Participants are engaged in workshops and attend festival rehearsals and performances. The Michigan Young Soloist Award recipient is showcased during the Thursday evening gala concert.
Public Awareness and Outreach
Emerging Artists’ Touring Exhibition
An annual call for art is announced in the fall of each year, resulting in an exhibition of 40–60 works of visual art created by emerging artists. The exhibition travels to approximately 20 venues throughout the state, including conferences, festivals, schools, libraries, malls, and art and community centers. The Visionary Art 2009 touring exhibition will be launched in February 2009.
VSA arts of Michigan Festivals
District organizations conduct festival events celebrating the culmination of their yearlong programming. Festivals take place in May and June in Centreville, Flint, Grand Rapids, Livonia, Petoskey, and Traverse City.
Expressions Newsletter
VSA arts of Michigan publishes two issues of Expressions each year.
Information and Referral
VSA arts of Michigan provides information regarding assistance and resources available in the arts, education, and disability communities for persons seeking information and referrals.
(F) 202-429-0868