26/9/2000
From insight to innovation
Westaf, Oakland
Art and accessibility in the West. WESTAF, the Western States Arts Federation, is hosting a symposium to address issues, review developments, and identify opportunities for access to the arts for people with disabilities and older Americans. The purpose of 'From insight to innovation: Art and accessibility in the West' is to provide an opportunity for arts organizations in the West to move toward accessibility for all people.
Art and accessibility in the West.Art and accessibility in the West
WESTAF, the Western States Arts Federation, is hosting a symposium
to address issues, review developments, and identify opportunities
for access to the arts for people with disabilities and older
Americans. The purpose of 'From insight to innovation: Art and accessibility in the West' is to provide an opportunity for arts
organizations in the West to move toward accessibility for all
people.
The symposium is designed to provide accessibility education,
information, and consultation to state arts agency staffs and the
staffs of arts service organizations to improve access to quality
arts experiences for older Americans and persons with
disabilities. Attendees from the states served in the WESTAF
region -- Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana,
Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming -- will
be able to use this experience as a leadership opportunity to
share newly acquired information and resources with their
constituent communities.
The conference opens with a presentation by Anthony Radich,
Executive Director, WESTAF and a Panel/General Session: Artist
Perspectives on Accessibility.
Other sessions will include: Accessible Organizations:
Evaluation and Developing a 504/ADA Plan; Strategies for Funding
Access; Technology and Accessibility; Model Programs: Museums
and Public Art.
A few of the many presenters are:
Margaret Brommelsiek, New Mexico Arts -
Suzanne Channell, Nevada Arts Council -
Denise Chavez, Border Book Festival, Las Cruces, NM -
Charlene Curtiss, Light Motion Dance, Seattle, WA -
Christine D'Arcy, Oregon Arts Commission -
Gene Dugan, Out North, Anchorage, AK -
Cate Foltin, Theatre Bay Area, San Francisco, CA -
Julie Gebron, Portland Center Stage, Portland, OR -
Ricardo Gil, Artist, Albany, CA -
Phyllis Hairston, Ohio Arts Council -
Terry "Herk"Herkimer, performance artist, photographer and
songwriter -
Kathleen Keys, Idaho Commission on the Arts -
Ann-Ellen Lesser, A-EL Projects, Spencertown, NY -
Lynn Manning, Playwright, Los Angeles, CA -
Kathy Martinez, World Institute on Disability, Oakland, CA -
Evelyn Mason, VSA Idaho, Boise, ID -
Damon McLeese, VSA arts of Colorado -
Damian Pickering, Rose Resnick LightHouse for the Visually
Impaired -
Janel Quirante, Bay Area Video Coalition, San Francisco -
Olivia Raynor, National Arts and Disability Center -
David Roche, Performing Artist, Mill Valley, CA -
Robert Shuckahosee, Accessibility Consultant, American Indian -
Communities, Polson, MT -
Judith Smith, AXIS Dance Company, Oakland, CA -
Joel Snyder, National Endowment for the Arts -
Paula Terry, National Endowment for the Arts -
Cindy Wynn, ARTability-Accessing Arizona's Arts, Phoenix, AZ
Artists works and performance highlighted at the conference
include THE ROTATING GALLERY, a travelling show of artwork that
celebrates disability culture; Wheelchair Dance with Charlene
Curtiss, Light Motion Dance and a Performance by David Roche.
At a closing General Session: Next Steps -- Where do we go from
here? attendees will be asked to develop a set of challenges or
actions steps that organizations and individuals can take back to
their respective states. The following questions will be
addressed:
What can cultural organizations do to raise awareness
and expand opportunities within their own organizations and
programs?
What can cultural organizations accomplish by working
with others?
How can cultural organizations effectively communicate
with, and market to, people with disabilities and/or advocate
on behalf of more programs and opportunities for a broader
audience?
The Conference is coordinated by Pamela Walker, an artist and
national leader in the area of arts and disabilities. It is being
sponsored the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ethel Louise
Armstrong Foundation and the Pacific Disability and Business
Technical Assistance Center.
Registration is $150 if received before October 31, 2000. For
additional information, please visit the WESTAF Web site or call 303-629-1166.
OAKLAND, CA
December 14-16, 2000
Oakland Marriott City Center