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Accessible Arts, Inc. Accessible Arts, Inc. (AAI) unlocks the arts for children with disabilities and advocates access to the arts. Advocacy, education and collaboration are essential components in accomplishing our objectives. Through the arts, children develop critical thinking skills, take risks in a safe environment and experience successes. AAI began as the Kansas State Board of Education Arts with the Handicapped Program in 1980. AAI was incorporated as an independent not-for-profit arts and disabilities organization in Kansas in 1988 and recognized by Missouri as a not-for-profit in 1995. AAI has received the Kansas Governor’s Arts Award for Outstanding Arts Organization, the Y.O.U. Award for Outstanding Agency in Wyandotte County, and the Kansas City Missouri Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities Award in recognition of our successful inclusion of children with disabilities in arts experiences. AAI’s innovative and diverse arts programming crosses cultural, geographic and economic boundaries to touch the lives of thousands of children with disabilities. AAI has conducted programs across Kansas from inner city public schools in African-American and Hispanic communities in Kansas City to rehabilitation centers in Wichita to rural schools near Garden City. AAI often collaborates with other agencies and acts as a catalyst for collaborative arts projects, training, demonstrations and exhibitions with disability themes. Accessible Arts provides a wide range of services making the arts accessible to people of all ages and abilities. These services include:
Our
publications are available in braille and large print. 1100 State Avenue • Kansas City, KS 66102 (913)
281-1133 (913) 281-1515 [ FAX] Accessible Arts Programming Includes: Arts4Learning offers a wide variety of fun and engaging art activities to assist students in learning literacy skills. Developed by Kit Bardwell at Accessible Arts for the Shawnee Mission English Language Learners, these lesson plans can enhance the learning experience of all students in grades 3–5. Each art discipline
is addressed including theatre games, visual arts challenges, During the workshop, teachers
will actively
engage in each of the activities and Careers in the Arts ~ AAI and professional artists with disabilities offer information and insights about the numerous job opportunities found in the arts. This workshop is for artists, paraprofessionals, parents, or other service organization personnel who want to explore careers in the arts for persons with disabilities. Participants will learn strategies for gaining experience, marketing, self-advocacy and how to ask for reasonable accommodations. AAI also provides a variety of helpful resources for artists with disabilities and individuals interested in working in ancillary jobs in the arts. 99
Drums,
A weekend of interactive Back to top ~ Back to Programming Jellybean Conspiracy Workshop, Partnerships are created with high school theatre and special education departments to produce The Jellybean Conspiracy Play. The play helps students in schools develop an appreciation for all people, especially those with disabilities. Following the play, Accessible Arts presents interactive music/movement workshops for middle school students and drumming/dancing workshops for families focusing on tolerance and diversity issues as they relate to disabilities. Discovery Trails Trips and Arts Projects ~ An exploration of the historic Westward movement. Accessible Arts collaborates with the Kansas State School for the Blind to immerse visually impaired students in the pioneer experience through arts based learning activities. A Trail trip each summer provides the impetus for follow-up arts projects during the school year. In the fall each year, blind and low vision teens create arts projects based on Trail sites they visited on the summer trip. They use these creations to teach Trail history and create art with 4th graders in elementary schools. Back to top ~ Back to Programming Creating Arts for All is professional development workshop in arts and disabilities is for artists, classroom teachers, special education teachers and paraprofessionals. Participants receive the tools they need to make their arts workshops and classes accessible and inclusive. The highly interactive training covers best practices and specific strategies for engaging children of all abilities in arts activities. The training will have a far-reaching impact on the school system by facilitating the inclusion of children with disabilities in arts experiences. Back to top ~ Back to Programming After-School Arts Club ~ Professional artists engage children of all abilities in a variety of arts projects at the Accessible Arts Studio. The children have a safe and supportive environment in which to explore their interests and abilities while obtaining new skills and knowledge. All participants have the opportunity to learn about various disabilities and develop skills to interact with individuals with varying abilities. The club meets two afternoons each week and focuses on visual arts. The acquisition of four potter’s wheel and four table looms has allowed both groups to expand their learning in these two disciplines. Back to top ~ Back to Programming Cultural Access Services ~ Accessible Arts provides Cultural Access Services to facilities around the state. The Cultural Access Initiative is a process to determine the physical and programmatic accessibility of arts and cultural venues like museums, theatres and galleries, and to advertise that information, thereby facilitating participation in the arts by all members of the public. Accessible Arts provides three Cultural Access Services: 1) Accessibility Survey – a comprehensive site survey that assesses the accessibility of the facility and its programming. 2) Program Consultation – an opportunity for clients to “pick the brains” of the accessibility team to find out how to make their programming more accessible to people of all abilities. Team members will answer questions and propose specific solutions for the client. 3) Staff Development Training – Team members will train client staff members or other personnel about accessibility. This training can be customized for the client. Examples include: Universal Design training for administrative staff, disability awareness training for theatre ushers or museum docents, program training for teaching artists, etc. Back to top ~ Back to Programming Accessible Arts Annual Arts Awards ~ Each year, Accessible Arts collaborates with the Kansas State Board of Education to present awards that recognize the achievements and outstanding work of individuals in the arts and disabilities field. One is awarded to the Educator of the Year in Arts & Disabilities and another is given for Distinguished Service in Arts & Disabilities. The Educator of the Year is selected from nominations from their peers. The Distinguished Service Award is chosen by the Accessible Arts Board and Staff. Back to top ~ Back to Programming Plays & Workshops with Disability Themes ~ Accessi Back to top ~ Back to Programming To receive further information or to schedule a Workshop, please contact us by phone 913/281-1133 or email. For Past Programming, visit archives and Back to top ~ Back to Programming Home | Who We Are | What We Do | Calendar | Cultural Access | Arts Center | Resources | eMail Us |
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music and dance workshops exploring the arts, history, customs, and food of West African, Native American, and Caribbean cultures. 99 Drums brings together an integrated group of students, ages 9-15, (including children with disabilities and their typical peers) to experience music and dance in a celebration of diverse cultures in an inclusive environment.
ble Arts has produced plays with disability themes and toured them throughout Kansas and the Kansas City metropolitan area. Teaching artists accompany the touring cast and provide arts workshops in the schools after students have seen the plays. Most recently, Accessible Arts collaborated with the Coterie Theatre to produce a world-premiere play entitled The Country of the Blind. In prior years, Accessible Arts toured with an original play entitled, The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel.