VSA arts Exhibit Children’s Visual Art and Writing for International Education Week

November 9, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 9, 2005 – VSA arts, an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, is participating in the 6th annual International Education Week November 14-18, sponsored jointly by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education. The VSA arts exhibit will feature visual art, stories and poems by children from around the world based on the theme, International Education: Improving Student Achievement Around the World.

The exhibit will include artwork from “ArtLink,” a VSA arts program where classrooms in the United States partner with classrooms from abroad to share their culture, heritage and communities through visual artwork. The program celebrates diversity and makes classroom settings more inclusive for children with disabilities. Also on display will be poetry and flash fiction from “Infinite Difference,” VSA arts’ online literary journal showcasing the creative writing of middle and high school students with and without disabilities. The written works were selected by a panel of professional writers and teachers.

International Education Week celebrates education and cultural exchange among students from all over the world, focusing on teaching and learning about other languages, cultures and traditions. Through the No Child Left Behind Act, the U.S. Department of Education is committed to having every child in the United States learn and succeed in a global economy.

“Two VSA arts programs that celebrate international education and build bridges through the arts are: “ArtLink” and the writing project,” said Soula Antoniou, President of VSA arts. “Although they focus on different art forms, they are both all about cultural exchange and inclusion.”

The opening ceremony takes place on Monday, November 14, 2005 at 10 a.m. at the Department of Education. Representatives from VSA arts, Department of Education, NASA, and the International Affairs Office will make remarks celebrating international understanding and awareness week for students.

About VSA arts

VSA arts, an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to create a society where all people with disabilities learn through, participate in and enjoy the arts. VSA arts provides educators, parents, and artists with resources and the tools to support arts programming in schools and communities. VSA arts showcases the accomplishments of artists with disabilities and promotes increased access to the arts for people with disabilities. Each year millions of people participate in VSA arts programs through a nationwide network of affiliates and in more than 60 countries around the world. For more information visit www.vsarts.org.

Media Contact

Marcia Rhodes, VSA arts (202) 628-2800 ext. 3883
marciar@vsarts.org

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