VSA arts of Delaware
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Delaware State University Arts Center |
Jennifer L. Gunther |
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Tel.: (302) 857-6699 |
Website: |
Organizational Profile:
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Full-time Staff: 2 (plus 2 in-kind positions) |
The mission of VSA arts of Delaware (VSADE) is to enhance the capabilities and confidence of and quality of life for children and adults with disabilities by providing learning opportunities in dance, theatre, creative writing, music, and the visual arts.
Programming Partners and Other Funders:
Delaware Division of the Arts; Brandywiner’s; Delaware State University; Greater Dover Community Foundation; Dover Art League; AstraZeneca; State of Delaware; DFRC, Inc.; Discover Bank; Delaware Division of Developmental Disabilities Services; United Way; Kent Construction; Delaware Federation of Women’s Clubs; Super Wal-mart
State Programs
Educational Programs and Artist Residencies
Artist-in-Residency (AIR) Program
This program will provide artist residencies to many sites serving individuals with disabilities throughout the state. This is VSA art of Delaware’s largest program in which the organization will provide appropriate coordination, administration, supervision, and evaluation at each specific residency site. Projects will promote specific art education opportunities in music, the visual arts and theater for children and adults with disabilities. Proposed sites are in schools and the community. One particular community residency is the VA Hospital which facilitates the development of arts opportunities for residents and, as with all AIR projects, provides art instruction that otherwise would not be available.
Performing Arts Group
This program will provide opportunities for teens and young adults with developmental disabilities to experience theater and dance instruction, as well as performance opportunities. The performing arts group will showcase their skills at an annual performance.
Start with the Arts (SWTA)
VSA arts of Delaware will work with preschools statewide to promote to educators, as well as home care providers, the SWTA curriculum. This program will support the integration of the SWTA curriculum by providing training workshops, literature, and art resources.
Professional Development and Technical Assistance
Art Training Awards
This program provides scholarship, art education funding, and technical assistance of up to $500 to young artists with disabilities interested in seeking additional training or experience in their chosen discipline. Art award winners are selected through a nomination and evaluation process conducted by VSA arts of Delaware.
AIR Artist Training Workshop
The primary goal of this program is to provide a training opportunity for any VSA arts of Delaware residency teaching artist or arts educator that facilitates or is otherwise involved with a VSADE program. Training will focus on accessibility, art education, special populations, and VSADE processes.
Cultural Access and Inclusive Arts Services
Cultural Access Program
This is a multi-faceted program designed to spark new involvement across the state in Delaware’s cultural access initiative. VSA arts of Delaware will work in conjunction with the Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) by partnering with the division as a resource for cultural access. VSA arts of Delaware will act as a point of contact for other organizations who wish to develop a greater understanding of DDOA’s proposed cultural access initiative. VSA arts of Delaware will also expand on-line resources to provide greater information on cultural access and other related topics.
Public Awareness and Outreach
Gratia Artis: VSADE Newsletter
VSA arts of Delaware publishes a program-based newsletter twice a year. The newsletter is sent to a statewide database of individuals interested in VSA arts of Delaware programs, special events, disability advocacy, community arts opportunities, cultural access, and volunteer opportunities.
www.VSADelaware.org
The VSA arts of Delaware Web site is an online resource for their programs as well as access information. The Web site is periodically updated and revised to reflect new program information and provide online access to VSA arts of Delaware program applications. The resource section of the site provides information on disability awareness and advocacy as well as cultural access information.
Celebration of Creativity (COC) Annual Art Exhibit
VSA arts of Delaware annually designs, develops, and coordinates a visual arts exhibit at a community arts center. The COC art exhibit showcases the visual artworks produced by various artist-in-residence projects and art award winners, and provides an opportunity for the work of program participants to be recognized and professionally displayed. This exhibit is open to the community and includes a performance component during the opening reception.
(F) 202-429-0868