VSA arts and MetLife Foundation Announce New “Arts Connect All” Initiative

December 7, 2004

Arts Organizations Encouraged to Advance Education Programming Inclusive of Students with Disabilities and Special Needs

Washington, D.C. - VSA arts, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the participation of people with disabilities in the arts and society, and MetLife Foundation announce the new Arts Connect All initiative. This funding opportunity is designed to encourage arts organizations to strengthen partnerships with local public schools through the creation or enhancement of accessible education programs. The goal is to develop examples of teaching and learning practice so that more people with disabilities experience the social development and artistic opportunities provided through arts learning.

"Access to the arts is achieved when all people have an equal opportunity to attend, participate in, and learn through art experiences," said Soula Antoniou, president of VSA arts. “The Arts Connect All program will act as a catalyst for creating greater educational access in the arts for students with disabilities and special needs and highlight the contributions of arts organizations to the development of inclusive learning communities."

VSA arts and MetLife Foundation seek program proposals from arts organizations focused on creating or enhancing accessible educational initiatives that:

Implement teaching practices that include people with physical and cognitive disabilities, as well as students with special education needs;
Implement multi-session programs that develop artistic skills of participants and build communication and social skills as a demonstration of increased inclusion of people with disabilities;
Involve people with disabilities in program planning and/or implementation;
Provide professional development on inclusive practice for education and support staff;
Actively involve students in public schools in their educational outreach; and
Proactively engage the public, including parents and school administration.

Nonprofit, 501(c) 3, arts organizations, including museums, theaters, and multi-disciplinary arts presenters that are creating or have an established educational program open to the general public and involving public schools are eligible to apply for grants of up to $15,000. Proposals can involve programs that take place during school hours or after school initiatives. The deadline for proposals is January 28, 2005.

Organizations in the following cities are eligible: Los Angeles, CA; Denver, CO; Tampa, FL; Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; St. Louis, MO; Portland, OR; Pittsburgh, PA; and Providence, RI.

Entries will be reviewed and evaluated by an independent panel of professionals with and without disabilities who work in accessible arts programming, arts education, and/or inclusive education. All entrants will receive written notification before March 15, 2005. To obtain an application for the VSA arts/MetLife Foundation Arts Connect All initiative and learn more about eligibility and application guidelines, please visit www.vsarts.org

For additional program information, please contact Stephanie Litvak, VSA arts director of program development, at 202-628-2800 or artsconnectall@vsarts.org.

About MetLife Foundation

MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife to support various educational, health and welfare, and civic and cultural organizations across the country. Recognizing the arts’ contribution to the health, vitality, and development of our communities, the Foundation is committed to increasing access to the arts and promoting diversity and inclusion. For more information about MetLife Foundation, please visit www.metlife.org.

About VSA arts

Founded in 1974 as an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, VSA arts is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the participation of people with disabilities in the arts and society. VSA arts provides educators, parents, and artists with resources and tools they can use to support arts programming in their schools and communities; showcases the accomplishments of visual and performing artists with disabilities; and promotes increased access to the arts for people with disabilities. Currently, five million people participate in VSA arts programs each year through a network of affiliates nationwide and in more than 60 countries around the world.

VSA arts is the creator of Start with the Arts©, a comprehensive early childhood learning resource for classrooms that encourages the development of literacy and school readiness skills; Express Diversity!©, a program of instructional materials for increasing disability awareness through the arts; and the VSA arts Institute, professional development training for teachers, teaching artists, and arts administrators offering arts based teaching strategies to include students with disabilities. To learn more about VSA arts, please visit www.vsarts.org

Media Contact

Marcia Rhodes, VSA arts, 202-742-3851, marciar@vsarts.org

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