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Community and Internet Resources


Arts and Culture: Adaptive Arts Programs

National

Artistical Studios is a website that will introduce you to the imagination and talents of artists with disabilities from the Multi-Disciplinary Art Center of Little City Foundation of the Chicago area. Through collaborative arts, these artists have created virtual maps you may explore.

Artslynx offers an extensive list of arts programs and resources for people with varying disabilities. They offer resources specifically for those who are deaf or hard of hearing as well as for those who are blind or who have low-vision. Resources include programs in theatre, dance, visual arts and music.

National Arts and Disability Center offers information on arts programs throughout the United States for individuals with varying disabilities. Listings include organizations dedicated to offering dance, theater, visual arts and more. They also offer an on-line gallery of artwork by artists with disabilities with an opportunity to submit artwork.

Signstage Theatre based in Cleveland, Ohio performs theatrical productions enhanced by sign language for the hearing impaired throughout the United States. They also offer a national Education Program that is designed to use the arts to complement and bolster traditional curricula and to create opportunities for deaf individuals to actively participate in the arts. For more information about tour dates or about the education program, call (216) 229-2838 (Voice) or (216) 229-0431 (TTY). You may also e-mail deaftheatre@signstage.org.

VSA Arts offers accessible arts programs through a network of local, state, national and international VSA arts organizations and affiliates. Participants can learn about dance, music, painting, writing, and much more. For more information or to find an affiliate near you, visit their website, e-mail info@vsarts.org or call (800) 933-8721.

Regional Listings

Middle Atlantic States Region

Nuvisions for Disabled Artists, Inc. serving Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, encourages artists with physical disabilities by providing exhibition and educational opportunities, as well as the support needed for personal and professional growth. For more information, e-mail nuvisions@worldnet.att.net.

State Listings

Arizona

New Sign Improbable Theatre, sponsored by Arizona Bridge to Independent Living, offers training in the art of acting and an opportunity for students to perform in a play. For more information, call (602) 296-0503.

California

ARTability "is an informal consortium working together to provide access to Arizona's arts." Artability acts as a bridge between arts organizations and the disability community by promoting arts activities and events and arts-related accessibility services. Their site also features links to disability-related organizations offering artistic and other services.

Art and Services for Disabled, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization located in Long Beach, California. They offer a number of programs for individuals with varying abilities that are designed to "assist the students in their personal goals and achievements through a curriculum of creative arts therapies." For more information, call (562) 982-0247.

Creative Growth Art Center provides creative art programs, educational and independent living training, counseling and vocational opportunities for adults who are physically, mentally and emotionally disabled. For more information, call (510) 836-2340 or e-mail info@creativegrowth.org.

Creativity Explored has two locations in San Francisco, California and provides opportunities for people with disabilities to create visual art. The center at 2797 16th Street, San Francisco, CA provides opportunities specifically for people with severe disabilities. This website includes links to other art centers around the world.

Exploratorium Museum, housed within San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts, offers over 650 science, art, and human perception exhibits as well as a wide range of programs and events. To ensure accessibility, the museum offers the Disabled Access Program. The program ensures access to the museums exhibits, educational programs and events and also offers auditory technical assistance and sign language interpreters. For more information, call (415) 563-7337.

First Street Gallery Art Center is a program serving adults with developmental disabilities in Claremont, California. The program offers instruction on painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, collage, assemblage, and creative writing. Many of the works completed by students are exhibited in the Center's gallery and at many national and international sites. Artists can even sell their work, receiving 60 percent of the sale price. In addition to art instruction, the Center also offers instruction in social skills, self-advocacy, activities of daily living, communication and independent living skills. For more information, call (909) 626-5455.

Hope University is a fine-arts facility for adults with developmental disabilities located in Anaheim, California. Hope University offers courses in music, drama, visual arts, dance and community living skills. It is their mission to "train the talent and diminish the disability through creative-arts therapy." For information on enrollment, call (714) 778-4440 or e-mail hopeuniversity@msn.com.

National Institute of Art and Disabilities (NIAD) Art Center is located in Richmond, California. Classes are offered five days per week, six hours per day. The student artists learn drawing and painting, printmaking, ceramics, fabric arts, creative writing and basic computer skills. NIAD also provides weekly classes in independent living skills taught by a professional in the field. For more information, call (510) 620-0290.

Florida

Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens offers a Special Needs Program. This program is an affiliate of Jacksonville, Florida's VSA Arts, an organization dedicated to providing people with disabilities access to arts experiences. For more information, call the museum at (904) 356-6857.

Kaleidoscope, a musical theater program located in Sarasota, Florida, offers adults with developmental disabilities classes in singing, movement, acting and art. Upon completing class instruction, all students are invited to perform at a local regional theater. For more information, call (941) 355-8808.

Georgia

Full Radius Dance, located in Atlanta, Georgia, is a modern dance company that creates, commissions and performs work that challenges prevailing attitudes about disability and dance. They offer the Positive Motion program, which includes lecture demonstrations, dance classes and performance workshops for people of all abilities. For more information, call (404) 724-9663.

Illinois

Little City Foundation located in Palatine, Illinois, offers several programs for artists at their Multi-Disciplinary Art Center. Project VITAL is a course in basic video production for people with developmental disabilities. Project VITAL is taught through community access television centers. The Media Arts Center of Little City Foundation takes graduates of VITAL and offers more advanced equipment and support for the artists. Workshops and artist residencies have expanded the arts programs in the Multi-Disciplinary Art Center. This website also has a list of national organizations that assist artists who have disabilities. For more information, contact people@little.city.org

Special Music by Special People is a Chicago based music program for individuals with developmental disabilities. The program provides children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities the opportunity to compose, record and perform their own music. This program has been designed to stimulate each participant by encouraging teamwork and self-esteem. For more information, visit their website.

Victory Gardens Theater located in Chicago, Illinois offers accessibility in each of its four theaters. The Victory Gardens mainstage is equipped with the Audiolink Personal Listening System to serve the hearing impaired. Additional offerings include Braille and large print programs. A great number of performances are designated as "access performances" each month. Advance ticket reservations are recommended. For more information, call (773) 871-3000 or (773) 871-0682 (TTY) or e-mail information@victorygardens.org.

Massachusetts

Picture This Photography Project, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, offers individuals with Cerebral Palsy and other physical disabilities an adaptive photography program. The program incorporates adaptive photography equipment and useful adaptive techniques. Camera systems can be customized to each participant's individual needs. To learn how you can participate in this project, call (617) 864-0957 or e-mail info@viewfinders.org.

Minnesota

Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts is a non-profit art center located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The center provides actors, musicians, visual artists, and writers with varying abilities an opportunity to develop skills, perform, and exhibit their work. For more information, call (612) 339-5145 or e-mail interactcenter@aol.com.

Montana

Growth Thru Art is offered by District 7 Human Resources Development Council of Billings, Montana. Adults with varying levels and types of disabilities are offered a studio based art day program designed to stimulate personal growth experiences. For more information, call (406) 247-4785.

New York

Hands On is a service organization dedicated to providing greater accessibility to arts and cultural events to individuals that are deaf or hard of hearing. Their website features a cultural event calendar that lists a wide variety of attractions adapted for the deaf or hard of hearing. They also offer a listing of sign interpreted theater performances.

Visible Theatre Inc. offers the True Story Project, a theatre training program primarily for artists with disabilities. Students are taught and mentored year-round by professional, able-bodied and disabled artists. Areas of study include relaxation for the stage, improvisation, movement, voice and speech, scene study, playwriting, text analysis, storytelling, comedy and poetry. These activities will culminate in an original production, written and performed by the student actors. For more information, call (212) 946-6328 or e-mail Visibletheatre@aol.com .

North Carolina

Enrichment Center, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, offers individuals with varying disabilities instruction in dance, drama, music, poetry and visual arts. This program has resulted in public performances, as well publication and CD releases including material written by the program's participants. For more information, call (336) 777-0076 ext. 102 or send an e-mail to artsprog@ols.net.

Ohio

Passion Works Studio, located in Athens, Ohio, provides adults with mental retardation and developmental disabilities an opportunity to express themselves through their personal artistic creations. Each individual's accessibility needs are met through the arts program identifying the unique abilities of each participant. Art projects have included the creation of rubber stamps, original coloring books, window displays and even a parade float. For more information, call (740) 592-6659.

Dancing Wheels is one of the nation’s premier modern dance companies that integrates professional stand-up and sit-down (wheelchair) dancers. The company was founded in 1980 by president and founding director, Mary Verdi-Fletcher, who is considered a pioneer in the field of integrated dance. Throughout the last two decades, Dancing Wheels has performed, taught and inspired children and adults of all abilities around the world. In the United States, the company presents over 100 performances reaching audiences of 125, 000 each year through its educational outreach lecture/performances, residencies, mainstage repertory concerts and full length story ballets such as The Snowman. Dancing Wheels 3615 Euclid Avenue, Third Floor Cleveland, Ohio 44115

Texas

Marnie Paul Arts Center, located in Austin, Texas, has a mission to provide young adults (aged 18 to 35) with disabilities an opportunity to experience the arts. The center offers music therapy, dance therapy and art therapy as well as a number of recreational classes including instruction in visual arts, music and dance. For more information, call (512) 836-4266.

Wisconsin

Lake Country Fine Arts School and Gallery, 112 W. Capitol in Hartland, Wisconsin offers Adaptive Clay classes for people of all ages that have developmental or physical disabilities. The classes are offered two consecutive Saturdays each month from 10:00AM to 11:30AM and are wheelchair accessible. The cost is $15 per day, however, you will be encouraged to take both classes for $30 so you may start your clay piece in the first class and glaze it in the second class. For dates of classes for each month, schedule of clay pieces to be made, or to register, call (414) 367-2900.

VSA Arts of Wisconsin is located in Madison, Wisconsin and is a branch of Very Special Arts Worldwide. The website describes the VSA Wisconsin programs and the VSA Wisconsin Ameritech Art Gallery and includes a Disability Resource Guide and a VSA Wisconsin Newsletter. The Wisconsin programs include Artist-in-Residence offering Creative Writing, Dance and Drama, The Children's and Adult Art Collection, an online art gallery, Choir, Marching Band, Training and an Art Center that supplements activities such as supported employment for adults with disabilities. For more information, contact vsawis@vsawis.org.

International Listings

Canada

Centre for the Arts in Human Development is based at Concordia University in Montreal. "The Centre utilizes the creative arts therapies and applies them to promote growth and development, in people with intellectual and developmental disabilities." Participants are encouraged to move through their personal challenges toward the goal of increased self-esteem and social integration. For more information about this program, visit their website or call (514) 848-8619.

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[Updated November 30, 2004]
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