Mission
VSA Massachusetts promotes the involvement of people of all abilities in the cultural life of our communities.
We achieve this mission by:
1) Developing multi-sensory arts-integrated teaching strategies in our schools, creating new experiences for all students
2) Sponsoring exhibitions and performances by artists of all abilities
3) Helping families and communities understand and celebrate the transformative effect of art making over time
"The arts are a valuable impetus for healthy living. They provide education, enjoyment,
sensory stimulation and a place to come together as part of mainstream society."
- Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith, VSA founder
What's New?
- MCB's Horizons Radio affiliate Vince Lombardi interviewed VSA Massachusetts Executive Director Charles Washburn May 4, 2012.
- First Night Worcester issued a "Call for Artists" for the 2013 New Year's Eve celebration. Information and application form are availble as a PDF download. The deadline is June 10, 2012.
- VSA MA has partnered with The Kennedy Center to bring the 2012 "Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability" Conference (LEAD) to Boston August 21 - 24, 2012. Events will take place at The Museum of Science, Museum of Fine Arts, and other locations throughout Boston. Complete details are available at The Kennedy Center's website.
- Arts|Learning announced its symposium, "Theory in Action: Research to Results" and the 26th "Champions of Arts Education Advocacy Awards" at the Gardner Auditorium of the Massachusetts Statehouse May 24, 2012, 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Outstanding advocates including MA Cultural Council's Anita Walker, author Peter H. Reynolds, MA Senator Stanley Rosenberg, and Ernie Boch, Jr. will be recognized for their work supporting and promoting arts education. The symposium will present examples of best practices in arts education including Nicole Agois Hurel and Kati Blair Kotrc of VSA MA who will present the Universal Design for Learning model. Also scheduled are visits to legislative offices where you can speak with state senators and house representatives about the importance of arts education. For more information contact Arts|Learning at info@artslearning.org, 508-650-5044, or register online.
- Calls for entries! The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seeking artists for two exhibit programs. First is a national juried exhibition of emerging artists, ages 16-25, with disabilities. Deadline is July 8, 2012. The selected young artists will have their work exhibited at the Smithsonian and share $60,000 in cash awards. And the second is a brand new International Art Program for Children ages 5-18 with disabilities. The program culminates in an exhibit at Washington DC's Department of Education, in conjunction with International Education Week. Submit artwork by July 15, 2012.
- Call for submissions. The Harvard Educational Review is now accepting stories through June 1, 2012 from children, youth, and adult arts learners for its upcoming special issue "Expanding Our Vision for the Arts in Education".
- A Closer Look at Learning has been updated to include three case studies of students with autism in a music residency.
- PBS featured VSA Mass teaching artists in a video about engaging students with learning disabilities at the Henderson Inclusion School. A full transcript of the video is available.
- Get a Creative Outlook On Learning (COOL) by attending our workshops for educators in May.
