VSA Kentucky promotes arts, education, and creative expression for all, with an emphasis on persons with disabilities. While most programs are educational or community outreach in nature, others provide services such as professional development. Currently, there are over 870,000 people with disabilities in Kentucky, many of whom can benefit from participating in VSA Kentucky programs.

Educational Programs

VSA Kentucky offers educational programs in every congressional district in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Many VSA of Kentucky educational arts programs involve artist residences at public school sites.

Arts Inclusion Program

Up to twenty-five $1,200.00 awards are given to schools across Kentucky in every congressional district for inclusionary, hands-on projects in various arts disciplines. Schools must specifically describe in their application how the arts project will be fully inclusionary for students of all abilities. Many of these projects involve an artist-in-residence from our VSA Kentucky Roster. This program is made possible through a partnership with the Kentucky Department of Education.

*Please download the latest FREE version of Adobe Acrobat Reader by clicking the button (Includes Adobe Reader) below for a fast and easy way to view and fill out all your VSA Kentucky applications.

Downloads:

Application Form / Guidelines PDF:899KB (8/9/2010B)

Artist Roster(Pop-up window)

Final Report Form PDF:209kb

Teacher Survey PDF: 136kb

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Start with the Arts Training

Start with the Arts is an award-winning educational program for preschool, kindergarten and early primary aged children with and without disabilities, designed to provide educators, caregivers, librarians, and parents with objective-based, thematic learning experiences that utilize the arts as a vehicle to enhance the existing inclusive classroom curriculum. This program utilizes all of the multiple intelligence to ensure success for all students. Professional Development training in Start with the Arts is available through VSA Kentucky for educators, caregivers, librarians and parents.

Student Traveling Art Exhibit

Submissions are due by October 30th.

The VSA KentuckyStudent Traveling Art Exhibit, “A Matter of Perspective” is an annual exhibit comprised of 15-20 pieces of artwork created by students with disabilities from across the state. This art exhibit is available free of charge to schools, museums, businesses, libraries, and hospitals across the Commonwealth. A Call for Art brochure and application is sent annually to all public schools in Kentucky.

*Please download the latest FREE version of Adobe Acrobat Reader by clicking the button (Includes Adobe Reader) below for a fast and easy way to view and fill out all your VSA Kentucky applications.

Downloads:

Application Form / Guidelines PDF:6MB

Adobe and Adobe Reader are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

Young Soloist Award Program

Designed to nurture the exceptional talents of young instrumentalists and vocalists with disabilities, the Young Soloist Program provides an award annually to further the music education of talented young musicians. Interested musicians should contact our VSA Kentucky offices for further information on how to enter the state program. The application deadline is November 1 of each year. The Kentucky award recipient’s entry is also submitted to the VSA home office in Washington, D.C. for consideration in the national program. The VSA Kentucky Young Soloist recipient(s) are given opportunities to perform in various Kentucky venues throughout the year. Past Kentucky Young Soloists have also performed for Arts Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., the 1998 VSA International Festival in Los Angeles, and the 2004 VSA International Festival in Washington, DC.

Artist-in-Residence Roster

The VSA Kentucky Artist Roster is an approved list of over 20 teaching artists from the arts disciplines of dance/creative movement, drama, literary arts, music, storytelling, puppetry and visual arts. These accomplished artists have a professional background in their art forms and extensive experience in arts education and adaptive arts strategies. VSAKY Roster Artists provide residencies for our Arts Inclusion Program, arts education and community programs.

• Artist Roster(Pop-up window)

Community Programs

VSA Kentucky offers arts programming and opportunities for adults and young people in a community setting. In addition to the programs listed below, we accept applications for special initiatives throughout the state.

VSA Kentucky Gallery

The partnership between VSA Kentucky and Bandy Carroll Hellige Public Relations provides a public gallery opportunity for VSA Kentucky to exhibit the work of artists with disabilities. The gallery is housed in the headquarters of Bandy Carroll Hellige Public Relations in Louisville.

Cardinal Hill Hospital Partnership

VSA Kentucky provides artist residencies and arts experiences for adults and children participating in various Cardinal Hill Healthcare System programs in Lexington and Northern Kentucky. These arts experiences are offered year-round for clients of Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital.

Hugh Sandefur Training Center Partnership

Adults with disabilities participate in year-round art classes conducted by an artist-in-residence at the Hugh Sandefur Training Center in Henderson. Each year there is a culminating exhibit entitled, “The Artist Within.”

VSA Festivals

Each year, VSA Kentucky festivals are held in communities across the state. Festivals include experiential mini-workshops in the various arts disciplines and sometimes culminate in a performance or exhibition.

Artist Registry

The VSA Kentucky Artist Registry is a resource directory of emerging and professional artists with disabilities. Inclusion of visual and performing artists on the Artist Registry will make artists’ work known to community cultural organizations should opportunities arise but does not guarantee that work will be selected for exhibition or performance. Past Kentucky Registry artists’ work has been chosen for exhibition at the VSA International Festival in Los Angeles and published in the national VSA calendar.

• Artist Registry (Pop-up window)

Arts for All

Arts for All is the bi-annual newsletter that includes information about programs, services and opportunities provided by VSA Kentucky. The newsletter is a free service of VSA Kentucky.

*Please download the latest FREE version of Adobe Acrobat Reader by clicking the button (Includes Adobe Reader) below for a fast and easy way to view and fill out all your VSA Kentucky applications.

Downloads:

Arts for All PDF:164kb

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VSA Kentucky Special Initiative Program

Community residencies are conducted throughout the state under the VSA Kentucky Special Initiative Program. These programs are initiated and conducted in various communities by agencies, organizations and/or individuals and include individuals with and without disabilities. *Please download the latest FREE version of Adobe Acrobat Reader by clicking the button (Includes Adobe Reader) below for a fast and easy way to view and fill out all your VSA Kentucky applications.

• Artist Roster (Pop-up window)

Downloads:

Artist Roster Application and Guidelines PDF: 134kb

Special Project Final Report PDF:392kb

Adobe and Adobe Reader are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

Professional Development

VSA Kentucky offers various professional development programs and opportunities available for educators, artists and arts administrators.

Start with the Arts Training

VSA Kentucky offers a full-day, accredited training for educators, librarians, caregivers, and parents in Start with the Arts. This hands-on, inclusionary, educational program involves young children in innovative arts activities based on commonly taught curriculum themes. Since 1995, VSA Kentucky has trained over 2500 adults to enhance early childhood programs and curriculums in Kentucky using the arts as a learning vehicle. Scholarships are available and made possible by the Kentucky Dept. of Education.

Artist Mentoring Program

The Artist Mentoring Program is designed to help new teaching artists on the VSA Kentucky Artist Roster reach the “mastery” level by observing master artists in a residency environment and being mentored by these same artists.

Portfolio Development Workshops

These one day workshops are designed to provide professional development for artists with disabilities to help them more effective prepare and market their art form.