VSA arts of Louisiana
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2758-D Brightside Drive |
Mazie S. Malveaux |
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Tel.: (225) 761-4243 |
Website: |
Organizational Profile:
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Full-time Staff: 1 |
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The mission of VSA arts of Louisiana is to expand the capabilities, confidence, and quality of life for persons with disabilities through arts programming. The organization provides opportunities for year-round quality programs that strengthen the role of the arts in school curricula. These programs provide meaningful and creative outlets for children as a part of their total educational experience. The programs also invite children with disabilities to develop, expand and share their artistic talents and accomplishments with their peers and families.
Programming Partners and Other Funders:
The American Red Cross, Pal Productions, Inc.; Council for Exceptional Children of Louisiana; Louisiana Assistive Technology Network, Inc.; Louisiana Division Of The Arts; Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge; Acadiana Regional Arts Council; Shreveport Regional Arts Council; Northeast Regional Arts Council; Louisiana Music Educators Association; Louisiana Department of Education; Louisiana School Districts; Louisiana School For The Deaf; The Louisiana State Legislature; Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, University of Louisiana At Monroe - Art Department; University of Louisiana At Lafayette - Education Department; Southern University At System; Louisiana State University College of Music and Dramatic Arts; Louisiana State University - Office of Minority Student Services
State Programs
Education Programs and Artist Residencies
Artist Residencies
The Artist-in-the-Classroom program of VSA arts of Louisiana is a favorite program across the state. Each program provides instruction by professional artists in music, dance, drama, and the visual arts as needed in the classroom for students with disabilities. Many residencies feature instructional workshops for teachers and assistants, and culminating activities. The newest version of this program is the “Artist-in-da-Shelter” project, which came into being to serve the victims of the 2005 storms.
Taking Notice
Taking Notice is a program that cultivates artistic expression and self-awareness in youth with differing abilities through the exploration of the art of photography. Participants in the program are encouraged to explore self-expression and to develop decision-making skills by learning the photographic arts.
Summer Arts Camps
VSA arts of Louisiana offers camps that are designed to stimulate and enrich the lives of students with varying disabilities, through integrated arts, math and science workshops. This project will afford the students a sense of belonging through creative pursuits, which are important to an individual’s development, regardless of their ability.
Blues in the Schools
Blues in the Schools is an innovative arts project that uses quality experiences grounded in the indigenous music of Louisiana to stimulate the creative and intuitive minds of young people. World-class artists make strong commitments that contribute to the success of this program by providing a series of statewide, live, and interactive sessions for students with disabilities.
New Visions Dance Project
The Louisiana School For The Blind is the site for this recently developed dance program, which is designed and directed by a professional dancer.
Professional Development and Technical Assistance
Start with the Arts
Start with the Arts gives four- to six-year-old children of differing abilities valuable, lifelong, academic and social advantages by using the creative and communicative power of the arts to enhance learning and social skills. It is designed to provide educators and parents with objective based, thematic learning experiences in the arts. The statewide program supports the development of basic literacy skills and offers engaging activities in visual art, creative movement, music, and creative drama.
Summer Arts Institutes
Supporting Louisiana’s higher education goals, VSA arts of Louisiana provides statewide in-service training and resources in the arts to regular and special educators. In addition, VSA arts of Louisiana conducts teacher training institutes each summer in up to four areas of the state. The objectives of these institutes are to train teachers to effectively integrate the arts into the educational experiences of students with disabilities; to encourage dissemination of ideas and skills among regular and special educators; and to develop a trained cadre of teachers as potential statewide resources and to provide in-service assistance.
Making Connections
VSA arts of Louisiana, in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Education, recruits and contracts with teachers to sustain the arts component of the Making Connections Project. This project is a Web-based resource whose heart is the Louisiana Content Standards. Through Making Connections, educators and parents access "a one-stop shopping center" in which lesson plans, Internet resources, software products, and assessment tools are all linked to the state’s content standards.
Conferences
The Special School District #1 Professional Development Conference and the Super Conference on Special Education are annual, three-day conferences at which VSA arts of Louisiana sponsors workshops and presentations conducted by artists and art educators for pre-service teachers, parents, administrators, and other interested participants. VSA arts of Louisiana also participates in the Louisiana Music Educators Association Conference and the state Head Start and Department of Education’s Preschool Conferences to promote disability awareness and illustrate the benefit of VSA arts programs.
Cultural Access and Inclusive Arts Services
Urban Cultural Access
VSA arts of Louisiana will partner with the Louisiana School For The Deaf Interpretive Services Department to provide American Sign Language interpretation services and assistive listening devices for deaf and hard of hearing people at arts and cultural events in the Greater Baton Rouge Area. Access services also include information and referral for other arts organizations that provide public services for persons with disabilities.
Public Awareness and Outreach
Festivals
VSA arts of Louisiana festivals are community-based celebrations that communicate the power of the arts and the benefits of VSA arts programs by showcasing participants across the state. These highly organized events feature performances, art exhibitions, demonstrations, and educational workshops where children, youth, and adults with disabilities proudly share their artistic accomplishments with the public.
Sound of the CommUNITY!
In support of the mission of VSA arts of Louisiana, the 150-voice Louisiana State University Gospel Choir performs for organizations that address the needs of persons with disabilities such as the Volunteers of America and the Katrina Medical Shelter.
(F) 202-429-0868