Artists in Education and Disabled Constituents

GENERAL

Research Abstract
Artists in Education and Disabled Constituents

Life's spectrum is many colored - a prism made of many people with many methods of expression. For too long the disabled have been excluded from this spectrum by society's not recognizing that they too have and need diverse means of communicating. Through the arts we can reach that diversity inherent in all people. During the past several years, progress has been made toward assuring that disabled people have equal access to the arts. The U.S. Congress, by passing into law Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, mandated that people with handicapping conditions can no longer be denied access to any programs and facilities which receive federal funds. The National Committee, Arts for the Handicapped (NCAH) has worked to support federally funded arts programs which seek to achieve the intent of the law.

Yet, the fact remains that there is still work to be done. In 1983, consideration of existing programs having the capability to ensure that disabled constituents receive the benefits of quality arts experiences led NCAH to the Artists-in-Education (AIE) program of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Funds from NCAH's private endowment and an NEA Services to the Field grant were allocated to NCAH to design models for training Artists-In-Education to meaningfully reach disabled populations within their residencies.

The project proceeded as follows: To determine the extent to which disabled students were already receiving arts experiences through the AIE program, NCAH distributed a nationwide needs assessment which revealed that Artists-In-Education were working with disabled constituents but that most had no specific training in preparation for this work. Based upon the results of the assessment, NCAH convened a Special Task Force in April 1983 at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Artists-in-Education Administrators from arts councils in the Midwestern attended the meeting along with dancers, musicians, actors and visual artists selected from each of five AIE programs. Experts in the field of the arts and disabilities worked with the AIE artists in adaptive arts techniques and provided background on disabilities. Concurrent with this training the arts council administrators brainstormed ideas and made recommendations for integrating disabled people into the Artists-in-Education program in a meaningful and productive way.

This report represents the work of the Task Force. Its purpose is to encourage arts council administrators and AIE artists to increase the efficiency of their programs relative to disabled populations. To most effectively utilize the report please note the following:

  • Section III, the bright yellow pages, is intended for Arts Council administrators and Artists-In-Education coordinators. The recommendations herein are a result of a brainstorming session held during the Special Task Force meeting by Artists-in-Education administrators. The recommendations are for arts administrators to evaluate and utilize to fulfill the particular needs of their program.

  • Section IV is a training model which was utilized at the Social Task Force meeting in Dayton, Ohio. We have included this information, thought useful in preparing artists to work effectively with people who have disabilities. Each section is written by a different author, who is knowledgeable in the field of arts and disability.

These workshop ideas and bibliographies are intended for Artists-in-Education. A visual artist will want to look at the pink section, a musician the green section, a dramatist at the blue section and a dancer at the tan section. These sections constitute a resource guide for preparing artists for residencies with handicapped people. They are meant to give artists and administrators ideas. There are no definite rules or techniques. Each person working in this field must approach this work on a human-to-human heart-to-heart level. We all must experiment, inquire, improvise, explore, give and receive. If we do this there will be fewer barriers to enjoying and creating artistic expression and many more colors in the spectrum. (9. 1, ii)

CONTENTS
Preface.

I. Project goals.

II. Arts in the lives of disabled populations.

III. Recommendations to State Arts Councils. 

A. Attitudinal awareness and policy implementation. 
B. Public information. 
C. Resources for funding. 
D. The artists. 
    Issue: previously trained artists. 
    Issue: Disabled artists. 
    Issue: Training in adaptive techniques for all artists.

IV. Training model (based on the special task force meeting at Wright State University
     April, 1983). 

A. What we learned: Ideas for improving training workshops. 
B. Agenda of NCAH/AIE special task force. 
C. Simulation activity: TABS and DABS. 
D. What the artist should know about working with disabled
    constituents. 
E. Visual art training workshop ideas and bibliography. 
F. Music training workshop ideas and bibliography. 
G. Drama training workshop ideas and bibliography. 
H. Dance training workshop ideas and bibliography.

Appendix:
     A. Arts trainers biographies: 
               Florence Ludins-Katz.
               Dr. Arthur Harvey.
               Gregory Rybak.
               Karen Hirst. 
               Climb Inc.
               Anne Riordan.
     B. Nationwide listing of very special arts festival programs in each state.
     C. National committee, Arts for the handicapped regional advisors.
     D. Additional resources/bibliography. 
         Disabilities/general. 
         NCAH resources.
     E. Relevant Federal legislation for the handicapped.

Life's spectrum is many colored - a prism made of many people with many methods of expression. For too long the disabled have been excluded from this spectrum by society's not recognizing that they too have and need diverse means of communicating. Through the arts we can reach that diversity inherent in all people.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Report
National Committee, Arts for the Handicapped
235 p.
December, 1982
PUBLISHER DETAILS

Very Special Arts (formerly National Committee - Arts for the Handicapped)
2700 F Street, NW
Washington
DC, 20566
Categories