Empowering Youth in Their Workplaces 1. Challenges and opportunities for Careers in the Arts

There is a kind of artwork, often the best, that is very difficult to market, due to the subject matter.

The particular "kind" of artwork I am thinking of is the art created from those in stress -- the mentally disturbed, the mentally disabled, the family member who has lost someone due to a mass shooting, first responders, soldiers with PTSD, an abused wife or child....the artwork comes from people who do not normally... more »

For any program, seek and receive assistance and endorsement from widely-known, highly-respected, disabled artists. Chuck Close, Dale Chihuly, etc.

 

Edit: Here's another. Eric Clapton! British but hey.

https://reverb.com/news/eric-clapton-reveals-nerve-damage-has-limited-guitar-playing?_aid

Generations of supported employment and vocational rehab specialists have been taught to ignore the records, just meet with a person and get an impression of what they like, then using that impression, place them into a position -near- to what they like. But these positions tend to persist in being part of the 5 F's - filing, food, flowers, filth, and folding. The agencies get paid as long as the person is employed,... more »

With certain requirements and under certain obligation, individuals with proven disability and/or low income, those should be allowed to claim a status of a nonprofit. This should be easily available, without government or lawyer fees. This way artists will not worry about losing their lifeline, medication and caregiver. Also, artists would be able to get the assistance from many corporations. For example, Godaddy... more »

As an art educator I see a big opportunity for individuals with disabilities to simply be included pre k-college in the arts curriculum that is available to all the students in a given building. Teachers willfully work with artist that are in their minds "gifted" artists but often won't take that extra time with students with disabilities.
When we take this time it can open up conversations about opportunities in the... more »

Grants, more often than not, require that the "greatest number of people" be impacted. For Deaf theatre companies, this means including some sort of accessible component, meaning auditory or readable text for hearing audiences.

This has the effect of discouraging deeper explorations into Deaf arts in the name of serving hearing audiences expectations and needs.

We need more funding that isn't tied to hearing audience... more »

What about doing more to connect songwriters with disability groups looking for motivational songs for films or campaigns?

Many college graduates I encounter in the arts and art therapy disciplines have no idea that working in a studio enviorment with diverse populations may be a career option as well as working with the community, educating Corporations in inclusive practices and community groups to better understand the whole population and those who struggle to connect in a community.

We have started a specialized training program for... more »

Imagine Art is a community where artists with and without disabilities gather for art making. Our space recruits a wide spectrum of people (with and without disabilities). We have artists with developmental disabilities that have access to Medicaid Waiver dollars for community based support. We have artists with mental illness that are seeking to serve others and access part time gigs in the arts. We have non-disabled... more »

Consider creating a Grants Mentor Program to help interested disabled artists determine specific artistic goals, resource needs, planned or proposed projects (taking into consideration any needs or limitations due to the disability). Mentors can help identify programs and resources that might help meet those needs based on factors such as discipline and geography. Resources could include grant programs, but also may expand... more »

Question: What ideas do you have to increase the career preparation and employment of people with disabilities in the arts?

Access to $ is germane and yet there are so many other ways, activities that can take place (and needs development in our everyday workplace) that does not require or should not depend on $ as the sole penultimate requirement to help any citizen from accessing survival needs; 'learning,' development,... more »

Finding ways to provide employment to persons with developmental disabilities in the arts, using community resources and technology.

Develop "Marketable" Art that only requires personalization

One of the barriers I see to "marketing" art work as a career is the high overhead of building something from start to finish.

Consider buying some inexpensive items, and then "personalizing" them through individual artists, thus making each of the pieces one-of-a-kind.

For example.

Take an article of clothing. Perhaps a t-shirt, or apron -- or best of... more »

When Mark Medoff wrote "Children of a Lesser God," he insisted that ANY production of this play must include deaf actors in deaf roles.
If you create good professional material (dance, plays, films) you can have some control over its production.
What is lacking in the story-rich, talented disabled community is confidence and opportunity. Teachers of play-writing such as myself can form or demand creating writing classes... more »

I would like to advocate for the return of the VSA Arts artist/performer profiles that made it so much easier for government agencies to locate performers with disabilities to present at ADA and EEOC offices around ADA/EEOC birthday

celebrations.