Greetings

This past Saturday three incredibly talented Ohio musicians performed at the 8th Annual Celebration of the Young Soloists. Brittany Goble, Steven Yee, and Macy McClain each wowed the audience with their voice, piano, and flute. Supporters from across the state came together to recognize these talented artists and support VSA Ohio at its annual fundraiser. CW Star Annie Porembski (http://www.wwhotv.com/subindex/cw_star) was a hit as emcee and had a wonderful rapport with the soloists.  All three musicians expressed interested in music education as a potential career path for the future - hoping to utilize their talents to help others come to love music as much as they do. 

In addition to the performances at the Celebration, delicious food was served and a silent auction raised money to help VSA Ohio continue to provide valuable programs and services that empower individuals with disabilities, creatively and inclusively, through the arts.  Many thanks to everyone involved in Saturday's Celebration, including our generous donors and sponsors, and all the attendees for their continued support! VSAO is working hard to ensure the arts and disability thrive throughout Ohio. If you were unable to attend but would like to send a check to VSA Ohio or find out how you can donate, contact Erin at 614-241-5325.

The Young Soloists were also spotlighted in the May 1 edition of The Columbus Dispatch: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2010/05/01/noteworthy-trio.html.  We look forward to continued work with these talented musicians throughout the year and connecting them with additional professional development opportunities. 

The following images from left to right are: Macy McClain (3rd place) playing the flute with her accompanist; Steven Yee (2nd place) explaining the emotions behind each piece he will play; Brittany Goble (1st place) receiving her award from Lee Ann Derugen and Annie Porembski.

From VSA Ohio

VSA Ohio now has a Facebook Fan Page!
Visit www.facebook.com to become a fan and get and stay connected to VSAO activities and events, network with other VSAO artists, and spread the word about VSAO's work and mission.

Careers in the Arts Professional Development Workshops
Exploring Inclusive Ways for Artists With and Without Disabilities to Build and Enhance Their Careers
 
May 14, 2010, Cincinnati
10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Xavier University, Cohen Center
1658 Herald Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45212
Registration Deadline May 10
 
May 26, 2010, Cleveland
9:30 am - 2:30 pm
Dancing Wheels Studio 
3615 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115-2527
Registration Deadline: Friday, May 21 
 
About the Workshops
These FREE workshops on careers in the arts for people with disabilities will include:
_Information about resources available to artists in Ohio and nationally
_Large and small group discussions focusing on independence
_Professional development breakout sessions for visual art, theater, and music led by professionals in the fields.
_Copy of VSAO's Careers in the Arts workbook
_Box Lunch
_Professional development stipends for artists (available upon successful completion of workshop and receipt of follow-up evaluation)

Who should attend?
These workshops are designed specifically for individuals seeking to enhance their careers as professional artists and service providers who assist them.

Go to www.vsao.org to download Registration documents for both workshops in rich text format. Or contact Derek Mortland at dmortland@vsao.org or 614-241-5325.

Scholarships available for Ohioans to attend VSA International Festival, deadline May 7
VSAO will award a limited number of small professional development stipends to support your attendance at the festival and/or International Arts Education Conference. Application materials include:
1. Letter of intent - Why are you going to the festival/conference? What do you want to achieve by attending? How will you benefit from this professional development opportunity? Statement of need.
2. Resume
3. Budget - include estimated cost of attendance, how VSAO funds will be used, and how you will pay for the rest.
Stipends will be announced on May 21.
If selected, you will be required to submit a report on your experience within 2 weeks of the festival in order to receive funds. Send all applications materials, attention Erin Hoppe, to the VSA Ohio office (77 South High Street, 2nd Floor Columbus OH 43215).

Call for Art: ADA Mural Project, deadline June 4
The 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) this July is a milestone for disability rights and celebrations are planned throughout the country.  VSA Ohio will mark the advancement of individuals with disabilities, while recognizing the work still to do, at the intersection of art and community with a mural. With support from the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission the mural will be unveiled at the Ohio Statehouse on July 26 then tour the state to advocate for arts and disability issues.

Individuals and artists with disabilities from across Ohio are asked to consider the impact of the ADA on your life as a person with a disability, on your life as an artist, how it has opened doors in your community, and/or your expectations for the next 20 years under the ADA.  VSA Ohio invites Ohio artists with disabilities and the general population of people with disabilities to submit their reflections in the form of sketches, photographs, paintings, sculpture, poetry, and short stories. 

Master muralist Kong Ho will oversee the design and construction of the mural and try to incorporate all entries. A number of artists will be chosen to visit Columbus and assist with the mural creation.
 
For details of the project, call for art, and how to submit entries visit www.vsao.org and click on the Call for Art document, available for download in rich text format.

From VSA

Registration extended for 2010 VSA International Festival!
From June 6-12, 2010, VSA- the international organization on arts and disability- will bring together artists, educators, researchers, and policymakers with and without disabilities from around the world for a multicultural celebration of the arts and education. The Festival will feature a dazzling array of visual, performing, literary, and media artists. Performances and exhibitions will be showcased at various venues throughout Washington, D.C.To register visit http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/festivals/09-10/vsa/.

Second Year of Sound Ricochet Fosters Rich Musical and Cultural Exchange
The second year of VSA's Sound Ricochet music exchange program is in its final phase. Students and teachers all over the world have used music to reflect on their culture and traditions while addressing key educational standards. Each classroom submitted videos of students performing musical pieces and will soon receive a DVD from VSA that features the compiled selections from all participants. Both the DVD and the accompanying descriptions of the musical pieces will facilitate rich classroom discussions and will allow students to gain insight into other cultures. Sound Ricochet is now enrolling for the 2010-2011 school year. If your classroom is interested in participating in Sound Ricochet, please visit http://www.vsarts.org/x2435.xml or contact Melissa Del Rios at exchanges@vsarts.org or 202-628-2800.

VSA Curriculum Resources
VSA offers a large selection of publications, guides, and other resources dealing with a wide variety of subject matter in arts, education, and disabilities. Three curricula developed by teaching artists with disabilities integrating math, science and art for middle schoolers are available online and in print. Revisit The Artistry of Water (http://www.vsarts.org/x6320.xml), A Portrait of an Artist-Scientist (http://www.vsarts.org/x2178.xml), and Let Your Style Take Shape (http://www.vsarts.org/x1132.xml).

VSA Announces 2010 International Young Solosits
Congratulations to Ju Hyeon Han, a 24-year-old soprano from South Korea; Dotan Nitzberg, a 22-year-old pianist from Israel; Blessing Offor, a 21-year-old singer/songwriter/pianist from Connecticut; and Aria Stiles, a 16-year-old violinist from Minnesota. These artists will perform together on the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage on June 8, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. The concert will be broadcast live online. Read more about the soloists at http://www.vsarts.org/x22.xml.

Opportunities & Resources

ADA Survey - How do people with disabilities in Ohio rate their community's implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
ADA-OHIO, in conjunction with the Great Lakes Disability Business Technical Assistance Center (DBTAC), is conducting "The ADA in Your Community" Survey to find out the answer. The ADA was signed into law in 1990 - twenty years have passed for communities to remove physical, programmatic, and attitudinal barriers that prevent people with disabilities from becoming active participating citizens. A great deal of progress has been made, but there is still need for further compliance. This survey asks citizens to identify how they view their community's current implementation and provide opinions and ideas about how accessibility can be improved. People with disabilities, their family members, and their advocates are invited to complete the ADA Survey so that their voices are heard when accessibility issues are being addressed in their communities.  The Survey is available online at http://www.TheADASurvey.org. To request the ADA Survey in an alternative format contact L. Scott Lissner at 614-292-6207 or email lissner.2@osu.edu.

Register for Summer Dance and Theatre Workshops, Dancing Wheels School, Cleveland
The School of Dancing Wheels offers fun and intensive summer workshops in dance and theatre geared for children and adults of all abilities and skill levels. Partial tuition scholarships are available based upon need. Options include an Adult Summer Dance Workshop (week-long intensive dance program for dancers and dance enthusiasts 16 years and older); Youth Summer Dance Workshop (week-long and geared for children with and without disabilities 7-15 years old; and Theatre Arts Camp (two-week camp for student dancers, actors, or those ages 7-14 who just want
to have fun! For more info visit http://www.dancingwheels.org/school-workshops.asp.

Franklin County Neighborhood Arts Grants, deadline May 31
The Franklin County Neighborhood Arts grant provides funding for community-based arts projects taking place throughout Franklin County.  The program is designed to support community participation in the arts, and funds a wide variety of projects, from choral concerts to art therapy workshops. Organizations of all kinds (including, but not limited to, amateur arts groups, community centers, social services agencies, neighborhood associations, and cultural organizations) are encouraged to apply. Grants of up to $2,000 are awarded three times per year. The application deadline for the next round of grants is May 31, 2010. More information about the program is available on the Greater Columbus Arts Council's website at www.gcac.org. 

Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council Seeks New Members, deadline June 1
The ODDC is currently seeking applicants for membership terms beginning in October 2010. Council membership must comply with categories listed in the federal DD Act. Openings this year will be for two (2) individuals with a developmental disability and one (1) parent or guardians of children with a developmental disability. Read more about the requirements, term, opportunity, and application process by visiting http://ddc.ohio.gov/new%20membership.htm.

Americans for the Arts Webinars, free to members
Members of Americans for the Arts receive the benefit of free access to our live and archived webinars. This year, select webinars introduce content that will be featured as part of the Americans for the Arts 50th Anniversary Convention, the Half-Century Summit taking place in Baltimore, June 25-27, 2010. These webinars are also free for registered convention attendees, and we are featuring two such webinars coming up very soon! To register for these complimentary webinars, please visit our webinar page at http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/afta/index.php#upcoming. If you are not a member of Americans for the Arts, but want to join in order to gain access to our live and archived webinars, visit their membership page at http://artsusa.org/get_involved/membership/default.asp.

News
Artist finds hope in creating, teaching, Columbus
"Cody F. Miller can't remember a time when he didn't want to produce art. In school, he often got into trouble for drawing when he was supposed to be studying. 'It's kind of like breathing,' he said. Miller's works, most of which have a biblical theme, have won him honors and awards. But these days, the Northland-area resident is committed to helping others experience the satisfaction that comes from producing art. Miller is an instructor at Art Bridge Studio, a division of United Cerebral Palsy of Central Ohio, a nonprofit agency created in 1951 to help Columbus-area residents with disabilities and age-related conditions...." Read the rest of the April 30th article from the Columbus Dispatch here.

Public Art Program Keeping Cincinnati Beautiful
"Last October, simplified paintings of windows and doors began to appear across the boarded-up facades of derelict buildings around Over-the-Rhine. Since then, they've been sprouting consistently around the inner city. Fittingly, these are the work of Future Blooms, an unusual public art program initiated by Keep Cincinnati Beautiful. In a small, localized way, it recalls the work of the Federal Art Project, part of the job-creation Works Progress Administration that existed as part of the New Deal during the Great Depression...Future Blooms is a $100,000 grant project funded by Cincinnati Empowerment Corporation, the Jacob G. Schmidlapp Trusts, and trustees of the Fifth Third Bank. According to its mission statement, it is specifically aimed at 'the aesthetic enhancement of vacant, abandoned, and foreclosed properties within the Empowerment Zone.'" Read the rest of the CityBeat.com article from 4/20/2010 here: http://bit.ly/aSJddY

Congratulations to Bethany Lehman & Wooster Christian School in Wooster
In celebration of Earth Day, Bing(TM) recently announced the contest winners for the Earth Day Photo Contest. Schools that had at least 20 entries into the contest were entered into a drawing to win one of ten cash prizes in the amount of $1,500. Bethany and Wooster Christian were lucky winners. To view all the stunning photographs and winners visit Bing's Earth Day Photo Blog by clicking here.

Organization Provides Opportunity for Developmentally Disabled Artists, Grandview
"Many Central Ohio residents are familiar with the restaurants and shops that call Grandview Avenue home. Lesser known in the area is a place as unique and colorful as the light-blue front door and multihued mural that adorn its exterior. Open Door Art Studio gives people with developmental disabilities the chance to create and sell their own artwork, said Courtney Yoakum, studio director...What they do at Open Door, which opened in February 2007, is allow adults with developmental disabilities to create artwork in a variety of different mediums, including painting, drawing, and sculpture. Yoakum said there are about 50 participants right now, though the studio is looking to add offerings for teens with developmental disabilities in the near future. The studio sells the artists' work, with 60 percent of the sale going directly to the artist and the other 40 percent used to purchase their supplies. 'Open Door is actually an employment opportunity for these individuals,' Yoakum said. 'We have a lot of financial success stories.'" Read the rest of the ColumbusLocalNews.com, 4/4/2010 article, here: http://bit.ly/dw1SaA.

PNC Foundation Will Provide $1.5 Million to Columbus Arts Groups
"With many arts organizations struggling to obtain funding during these tough economic times, The PNC Foundation is stepping up with a significant new investment to help residents in Columbus and central Ohio gain access to the arts and help organizations expand and engage audiences. The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., announced [April 6] that it is providing a three-year, $1.5 million investment through the PNC Arts Alive initiative. Grants of $25,000 and above will be awarded to qualified arts organizations to support diverse audience participation, fresh and emerging arts programs, value-added public programming, and innovative use of technology. Proposals are due May 7, and grants will be announced in September." Read the rest of the PRWeb.com, 4/6/10, article here: http://bit.ly/bhI2CX.

Eligible Nonprofits to receive Two New Federal Tax Credits
The nonprofit community has two new federal tax credits to support it in health care coverage and hiring efforts. Last month, the health insurance reform bill was signed into law, and with it came a provision granting eligible nonprofit organizations a tax credit of up to 35 percent of health insurance premiums available to firms with 25 or fewer employees and with average wages below $50,000 that choose to offer coverage. Then, beginning in 2014, these small business tax credits will cover 50 percent of premiums. Another federal tax credit was approved through the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, which states that through December 31, 2010, employers, including nonprofit employers, who hire individuals who have been unemployed for at least 60 days will not have to pay the employer's 6.2 percent share of the Social Security payroll tax for the new hires. Read more about the tax breaks by clicking here.

Arts & Disability in Ohio Calendar

May 13, The ARTS Along the Midway, Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, Building 23
Please join the VSA Ohio/Cleveland Area Service Division and numerous local partners for its 2010 festival from 9:30a - 2:00p on Thursday, May 13. A day of performances and hands-on art activities will provide an opportunity to integrate the arts into the education of children and adults with and without disabilities. For more information call 216-344-1761.

May 23, 8:45am, 5K Walk & Roll, Columbus
Join an accessible 5K (3.1 mile) and fun Walk (1 mile) "Walk & Roll" on The Ohio State University Campus. Come with friends, families, strollers, and wheelchairs to enjoy the music, food, and fun. Sponsored by The Ohio State University Medical Center Service Board; all proceeds will benefit the Therapy Garden at Dodd Hall Rehabilitation Services at OSU Medical Center. Pre-register online at www.premierraces.com. For more information contact Pat Iams at 614-486-1532 or email pati51@aol.com. 

May 26 - 27, Our Choice: Living in the Community, Hyatt Regency, Columbus
This conference for Ohioans with disabilities, their families and advocates will include a presentation of Ohio's 2010 Olmstead Plan, workshops, and an ADA 20th anniversary celebration. This year individuals with developmental disabilities and their families may attend for free. The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council's Annual Event is presented in collaboration with Ohio Olmstead Task Force, Home Choice, CareSource and Ohio Legal Rights Service. For more information and to register visit http://ddc.ohio.gov/whatsnew.htm or call the AXIS Center at 614-263-8076.

May 31, Memorial Day, VSA Ohio offices closed

June 1 - July 16, Accessible Expressions Ohio at the Canaday Center at the University of Toledo. 

June 1 - 30, Accessible Expressions Ohio at the Ohio Arts Council's Riffe Gallery, Columbus.

VSA Ohio Board of Directors

Allison Dickey, President
Connie Page, President-Elect
Karis Spence, Vice President
Donna Collins, Secretary
Benjamin Russ, Treasurer
James Chapple, Past-President
Jennifer CaJacob
David Dohnal
Carol Farmer
Thomas Kromer
Jana Perry
Stephen Pleasnick
Greta Robertson
Jenny Swinerton

VSA Ohio Staff

Erin Hoppe, Executive Director
Derek Mortland, Artist Services Coordinator
Linda Johnson, Administrative Assistant

Empowering individuals with disabilities, creatively and inclusively, through the arts.

VSA Ohio is a member of the international network of VSA, an affiliate of the
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. VSA is creating a society where
people with disabilities learn through, participate in, and enjoy the arts. Funding for VSA
Ohio is provided by VSA, the Ohio Department of Education, the Ohio Arts
Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council, individual, and corporate sponsorship.

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We invite comments on the VSAO e-Voice newsletter. Share your experiences of participating in events around the state or offers suggestions for future stories. Email your feedback to info@vsao.org.