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

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 »

Benefits planning is also critical for artists with disabilities who might access SSI/SSDI.
We need to be able to figure how much we can make and still keep our benefits, how much we need to make to be able to afford to get off our benefits. We need to have a tight handle on our healthcare and health options should we be able to afford to get off of SSI.
We need to understand our safety net.
Also, new pieces like the... more »

There are some fantastic grants out there now for parents who want to further their art. I think that it would be really helpful to have something similar for pwd - grants to help carve time to write, or to pay for art supplies/cameras/etc.
It's an enormous struggle to get set in a profitable cycle - because to be able to afford the time to complete the work, and to afford the necessary supplies, you have to work. And... more »

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 »

I run a non-profit art center in Grass Valley CA, Neighborhood Center of the Arts (.org)
We provide working studios as well as art supplies and instructors for 70 artists with special abilities. Each year we feature their art in 4 in-house exhibits and this year 17 shows within our community and other communities. When the artists sell their work we share the sale 50-50 our % goes back into the program for supplies and... 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

This past weekend, I was fortunate to go to Mountain Jam in Castkill, NY. This was a lot of fun because it was extraordinarily accessible (interpreters, and front of the speakers experience along with courteous staff). One thing I noticed was that stage managers, lighting crew and all of the tech support staff DID NOT include anyone with disAbilities. We have graduated a number of Deaf Theater majors that can perform... more »

Funding is a challenge for all emerging artists, even more so for those w/ disabilities. Having more sources of funding specific artists w/ disabilities will go along way towards helping the careers of professional artists.

I suggest that perhaps each festival of the art could add a percentage of artists with disabilities to the vendor lists. By this I mean, a certain percentage of booths could be set aside for artists with disabilities, marketed, and access provided to allow these artists to interact with customers. As an example, a Deaf artist could probably use interpreters at the both to allow her or him to interact w ith hearing customers... 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.

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 »

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

I find when selling Art the problem I ran across is pricing the artwork. At most since my area is art poor in the state of Texas or at least far west. So it comes down to explaining the person the artwork is worth this by showing the cost of the framing and the media used to create it. Most people are insulted saying that they can get for less somewhere else. The second part is exposure. Online sites like Ebay,... more »

All artists, disabled or not, have trouble finding/creating outlets for their works. Though, there is another issue for disabled... Those that rely on government benefits, do not file income tax. As soon as we do, the government benefits are stopped. The Federal government does not want to seem to understand that this income is not stable or a just one time success. Another issue is mobility. I think many would... more »

Music Therapy is so beneficial to anyone dealing with a disability and especially those with any mental health issues. I have seen first hand how empowering it is for people to get their stories out through music and the arts.