Arts Access Newsletter June 2010

If you are wondering, “Gee, this newsletter looks a little different but I just can’t put my finger on what it is,” you’re not alone. What’s new is that we have changed our name, logo and look - as have all the VSA affiliates around the world -- but what we do and how we do it remain the same.

From today and forever forward (we hope), we are VSA Minnesota. To help define that name, our tagline states: The State Organization on Arts and Disability. “Arts” may be out of the name, but our work in the arts with people with disabilities is firmly reinforced in the tagline.

This change is being made so that we can continue to be an affiliate of VSA: The International Organization on Arts and Disability. Many of its 48 U.S. affiliates and 68 affiliated organizations around the world will be at its International Festival this month in Washington, D.C.

For the entire network of VSA organizations both nationally and internationally, the logo will define the entity; VSA will not be an acronym for the former name of Very Special Arts nor will it represent other words or phrases such as Vision, Strength & Access.  Rather, VSA, VSA Minnesota and all of the other affiliates will acknowledge our former names and our history as being part of what brought us to where we are today and that informs our current composition. As we move forward, we will work to ensure that those with whom we work know that we are the state organization on arts and disability – we’re VSA Minnesota.

Aria Stiles, a 16-year-old violinist from Apple Valley, has been chosen as one of four recipients of the 2010 VSA International Young Soloists Award. In addition to receiving $5,000, she will perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on June 8 at 6:00 p.m. during the 2010 International VSA Festival. The concert will be broadcast live online at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Stiles was one of two winners in VSA Minnesota’s 2010 Young Soloists Award. In addition, Alec Sweazy, 24-year-old pianist and accordionist from Minnetonka, was chosen for his entry on piano. Both Stiles and Sweazy received $100 gift cards from Schmitt Music for being selected as junior and senior state winners in January.

Stiles entered her violin performance of a portion of a Mendelssohn concerto, Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole and Monti’s Czardas. As the overall state winner, her entry was forwarded to Washington, D.C., where a committee of distinguished music professionals selected her as one of the national award recipients. The VSA International Young Soloists Award annually recognizes outstanding young musicians with disabilities and supports and encourages them in their pursuit of a career. All types of music are accepted, including country, classical, jazz, rap, rock, bluegrass, and world.

Stiles has already established herself as a formidable talent in Minnesota. The violin prodigy has been a fixture in numerous county fair talent shows and fiddle contests since she was eight years old, winning many awards and accolades. Stiles is a member of the Minnesota Young Symphonies, and she has appeared as a soloist with the La Crosse Symphony Orchestra and the MacPhail Orchestra. The high school sophomore has been awarded two Gold Cups in violin and one in piano through the National Federation of Music Clubs. Stiles, who has ligamentous laxity, also enjoys taking care of animals, singing in school musicals and choirs, and playing the violin at school and church events.

Minnesota’s last National Young Soloist (in 1995) was Stephanie Dawn, a vocalist who is blind and performs around the country from her home base in Big Lake, MN.

Q & A with ARIA

What is the favorite piece of music that you have played so far?
The Mendelssohn Violin Concerto means so much to me and also it gets the crowd going.

What are you looking forward to as you approach performing at the Kennedy Center?
Be in another amazing place, and have another amazing opportunity of meeting people, and sharing experiences!

Who has inspired you in your musical pursuits?
My two teachers, Mary West (passed in 2008), and my current teacher Lucinda Marvin.

What advice might you offer to other young people as they pursue a possible path in an arts?
Don’t give up, When I was younger I always wanted to quit because practicing is BORING, but once you see the effect and the blessing that you can give people it makes it all worth it.

How might you use the VSA Young Soloist scholarship?
I will be using it for further medical bills to try to find out what’s wrong with my hand.

For more on Young Soloists, go to: VSA, 2010 VSA International Young Soloists Award Recipients.

Seven Minnesota artists with disabilities earlier this year were awarded $1,250 Career Advancement Grants. The 14th annual competitive grant, funded by the Jerome Foundation and administered by VSA Minnesota, recognizes excellence by Minnesota artists with disabilities.

Out of 53 applicants, the grantees are:

Loretta Bebeau, Minneapolis visual artist - painting, multi-media
Naomi Cohn, St. Paul poet
Mark Davison, Minneapolis visual artist - ceramics, sculpture
Bridget Riversmith, Duluth visual artist - painting and animation
Amy Salloway, Minneapolis performer – performance art
Christine Sikorski, Minneapolis poet
Alec Sweazy, Minnetonka performer - accordion.

The grants were awarded after a jury process conducted by individuals with extensive backgrounds in the written, visual and performing arts. They looked at samples of the artists’ work, proposed projects, resumes and artist statements.

Panelists were: Howard Quednau, Minneapolis painter/professor; Adu Gindy, Minneapolis/Duluth painter/professor; Roald Molberg, Duluth ceramicist; Mary Sullivan-Rickey, St. Paul painter; Emily Newman, Sartell professor; Kim Hines, Minneapolis actor/playwright/arts mentor; Ted Sherarts, St. Cloud professor; Rebecca Dosch-Brown, Minneapolis writer; Tamara Ober, Minneapolis dancer; Dr. Peter Kizilos-Clift, Excelsior writer.

Pending renewed funding, the 2010 VSA Minnesota/Jerome Foundation Project Grants for Artists with Disabilities will be available this fall. If you haven’t received past applications, want to attend a grant writing workshop or have other questions, contact Laura at VSA Minnesota.

VSA Minnesota has hired Laura Ahola-Young to coordinate services for artists with disabilities.

Laura will coordinate the Career Advancement Grants, Art Access Awards and visual art exhibits. She will also be a liaison with the Artists with Disabilities Alliance in Minneapolis, We-R-Artists in St. Cloud and the Arrowhead Alliance of Artists with Disabilities in Duluth. Laura is working to implement new programs sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Human Services and Pathways to Employment which include a call for art poster competition, a mentoring program for transition youth and a summer Art Camp for youth in St. Cloud.

Laura received her M.F.A. in Painting at San Jose State University, CA, and her B.F.A. in Painting from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. She is a practicing artist, a mother, an avid gardener and reader. She taught previously as an Adjunct Instructor at St. Cloud State University, where her favorite courses to teach include drawing and art theory.

June Orr, Hopkins, exhibits her acrylic paintings through June 30 at Park State Bank, 430 1st Ave. No., Minneapolis. The exhibit is on view during normal hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Amy Monthei, Minneapolis, is exhibiting her art through August 31 at Vision Loss Resources 1936 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis. The exhibit is free during normal hours, 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

VSA Minnesota contracts artist with disabilities to exhibit and sell their work throughout the state. If you are interested in hosting an exhibition or would like to apply to exhibit your work, please contact Laura at our office or go to Visual Art Exhibitions - and Exhibition Opportunity Application.

Eight arts organizations in the Twin Cities are the first recipients of ADA Access Improvement Grants for Metro Arts Organizations awarded by VSA Minnesota. Funding for these grants is from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, which voters approved in 2008. Since increasing arts access is one of the Fund’s priorities, the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, which serves the 7-county metro area, asked VSA Minnesota to administer a new program that would specifically focus on improving arts programs, projects, equipment, or facilities to enhance access for people with disabilities. The first round of grants awarded $89,437. The second round recipients will be announced about July 1 and posted on the VSA Minnesota website. Two more rounds of grants will be available in 2011.

Grant Recipients

Park Square Theatre, St. Paul, $15,000
The Soap Factory, Minneapolis, $15,000
Textile Center of Minnesota, Minneapolis, $4,500
History Theatre, St. Paul, $15,000
Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center, Minneapolis, $15,000
Sample Night Live!, St. Paul, $15,000
Minneapolis Musical Theatre, Minneapolis, $5,000
DanceWorks Repertory Ensemble, Lakeville, $4,937

Project details and grant review panelists are listed at What's New, Access Grants, or contact access@vsamn.org.

Who has worked hard and successfully to make arts programs and facilities in Minnesota more accessible to people with disabilities?  Each year VSA Minnesota recognizes artists, educators, volunteers and arts organizations with Arts Access Awards for exemplary achievements in enabling people with disabilities to participate in the arts. Their examples encourage others to create greater access in their spheres of influence.

The annual awards are called the “Jaehny” in honor of Jaehn Clare, a co-founder of VSA arts of Minnesota.

The 12th annual Arts Access Awards were presented Sept. 30 at Vision Loss Resources in Minneapolis. Each awardee received a 2009 Jaehny created by Nancy Ann Miller of Eveleth.

Recipients were:
Most Active and Visible Minnesota Artist with Disabilities – Nicole Zapko, Bloomington performer, co-director of StoryBlend;
Outstanding Artist Educator of Students and Adults with Disabilities – Anne Krocak, Prior Lake;
Outstanding Organization Actively Supporting Access to the Arts for People with Disabilities – WACOSA, Waite Park, nonprofit provider of arts programming for adults with disabilities;
Outstanding Individuals Actively Promoting Access to the Arts for People with Disabilities – Caryl Barnett, St. Paul, long-time advocate of Audio Description and accessibility training for arts organization staffs; and The Voters of Minnesota for having the vision to pass the Clean Water, Land & Legacy Amendment, which is resulting in improved access to the arts for all people, including people with disabilities.

For pictures and more info about awardees, go to Recent Events, 12th Annual VSA Minnesota Arts Access Awards Presented.

To nominate an individual or an organization for a 2010 Arts Access Award, send a nomination form by September 1. Include info about nominee and nominator; any relationship of the nominee to the writer; and why the nominee deserves recognition. News clippings, photos or web info may be attached. Nominations may be made in any category listed or others (Most User-Friendly Performance or Exhibiting Space for People with Disabilities, etc.).

Send to VSA Minnesota, 528 Hennepin Ave. S., #305, Minneapolis 55403; fax 612-305-0132; or access@vsamn.org. A form is online at Grants, Forms & Guidelines.

Jeffrey Smith as the Amazing Jeffo engaged middle school students with developmental cognitive disabilities at the 9th annual Metro Arts Festival at Augsburg College in April. Students from 10 Twin Cities schools also “loved playing instruments and getting up on stage” in activities coordinated by the Augsburg Music Therapy Program and VSA Minnesota. More details and photos at Recent Events, Magical Possibilities for Youth with Disabilities.

More than 130 middle school students identified as having developmental cognitive disabilities from 10 Twin Cities schools attended “Magic of Music,” the 9th annual Metro Arts Festival at Augsburg College in Minneapolis on Friday, April 16. This free event, a joint effort between the Augsburg Music Therapy Program and VSA Minnesota, is offered each year to enhance exposure to the arts for students with disabilities within the metro area.

This year’s highlight was a magic show, featuring the extraordinary magician, Jeffrey Smith as the Amazing Jeffo (www.amazingjeffo.com). Smith, who is blind, uses magic, mixed with a healthy dose of comedy, to educate his audiences about abilities and promotes a respect and appreciation of all of our differences.

Festival participants became part of the “magic” while meeting new friends and learning new forms of expression. Throughout the day, participants were engaged in hands-on sessions exploring visual arts, storytelling and music that were developed and led by Augsburg Music Therapy students.  Amazing Jeffo also led a session demonstrating four magic tricks with everyday objects that participants practiced performing to later amaze their friends and family.

Janeen Hedren, a seventh and eight-grade teacher at Battle Creek Middle School and chaperone for the site’s attending students, said, “Students were involved and went home with ‘real’ things to do and show others.”

“They had a wonderful time,” said Erin Horne, Special Education Lead Teacher at Metcalf Junior High School, of the students attending. “They loved playing the instruments and getting up on stage.” She added that the school was thankful to be invited and hopes students will continue to be offered the opportunity again.

Participating schools were: 916 NE Metro Intermediate School at Sunrise, Boeckman Middle School, Battle Creek Middle School, John Glenn Middle School, Lake Harriet Upper Campus, Metcalf Junior High School, Northeast Middle School, Parkview Center School, South View Middle School, and Wayzata West Middle School.

VSA arts of Minnesota would like to send a great thanks to the volunteers from Augsburg Music Therapy Department and all the participating schools!

In May more than 50 students at Next Step Transition Program in North St. Paul attended presentations by a VSA Minnesota Arts Ambassador. Speaking with students age 18-21, musician Diedrich Weiss approached the topic of self-advocacy through songs and personal stories about living with a mental illness. Annie Young, a visual artist who is blind, led students through weaving activity while sharing about her own work. Paul Mabon, actor and deep-voiced vocalist, gave an interactive presentation using theater activities and songs demonstrating how to reach one’s full potential.

The Arts Ambassador Program is designed to bring professional artists with disabilities into classrooms to engage people of all ages and abilities in a presentation that discusses the Ambassador’s art form, disability and work as a professional artist. Ambassadors are available for presentations and/or performances in a variety of venues. Please view the Arts Ambassador brochure at Grants, Forms & Guidelines or call us for more information.

VSA Minnesota thanks all the cooperating educational sites, staff and teaching artists who partnered with us this school year to increase access to the arts for 315 students with disabilities at 15 schools through our Artists-in-Residence Grant program!

St. Peter High School, Kelsey Hutchins in partnership with Art Center of St. Peter - visual arts mixed media

Edgewood Education Center, Brooklyn Park, Fodé Bangoura -African drumming

ACHIEVE Program, Brooklyn Park, Philip Blackburn partnering with Ordway - sound sculpture for Flint Hills Festival Public Art Installation

South Education Center, Richfield, Anne Krocak - collaborative clay tile mosaic

Southwest High School, Minneapolis, Steve Busa – theater

Transition Plus, St. Louis Park, Marilyn Lindstrom & Francis Yellow – mural

Benton Stearns Voyagers, Sartell, M. Cochise Anderson -storytelling/theater

Fergus Falls Elementary, Fergus Falls, Ragamala and Wild Goose Chase Cloggers in partnership with A Center for the Arts – dance

Bay View Elementary, Proctor, Bridget Riversmith - animation

And Saint Paul Public Schools:
Frost Lake Magnet, Anne Krocak - collaborative clay tile mosaic

Como Park Elementary, Kathy Coulter - collage illustration

North End Elementary and Arlington High School, Gustavo Boada partnering with Ordway - mask-making for ARTmoves Parade

Farnsworth Upper, Donna Bruni Cox – painting

Contact Jenea Rewertz-Targui to discuss hosting a teaching artist in your school or joining the VSA Minnesota Teaching Artist Roster!

Ten-year-old Phoenix Krocak and his mother Anne of Prior Lake will visit the nation’s capitol in June to see his painting as part of the national "All Kids Can…CREATE!" exhibit.

Sponsored by VSA and CVS Caremark All Kids, the program encourages students with disabilities to create artwork on the theme State of the Art, exploring their environments and discovering the roles they play within their communities.

Phoenix will be with 51 young artists at the opening reception and exhibit at Union Station, and attend part of the International VSA Festival.

Phoenix’s artwork was selected from submissions to VSA Minnesota by 33 students with disabilities. He “created an abstract painting of a park where my family and the community enjoys nature near my home.  I used acrylic on canvas and tried to show the space around Cleary Lake.”

Minnesota’s runner-up artist was Ashley Rezachek, an eighth grader from Eagan who used colored pencils to create Minnesota. "My work shows some of the things we are well known for and are proud of in Minnesota. I drew hands to make it look like I was sharing the things in Minnesota.  I used pictures and my memory of what things looked like to add into my picture."

The art program is an effort to use inclusive arts education programs to improve the lives and learning of young people with disabilities. The exhibit will tour children’s museums across the country. All the works are included online at Artsonia Kids Art Museum.

We-R-Artists

We-R-Artists in central Minnesota is slowly increasing in members, ages 13 to 80+. The group of artists with disabilities has been busy creating, attending workshops and participating in local and statewide shows.

Last fall, the art group participated in the Artability art show, and Daryl Jenkins won a honorable mention. Heidi Steadman from Little Falls taught us the art of bookmaking. The group will participate for the third time in the Lemonade Art Fair in June at the SCSU campus, St. Cloud. In February the group once again enjoyed the Gather in the Arts Show in Sartell, where Daryl Jenkins’ graphic arts has quite a following.  Whitney Senior Center, St. Cloud, gave the group a wall to display art included acrylic paintings by Jodi Campbell, Roland Kosbab, mixed media by Stacey O’Connell, graphic arts by Daryl Jenkins, photography of nature by Sean Henry and old tractors by Sheri Pfau, a latch hook rug by Mark Esplan and crochet hangings by Mary Schmit. Alice Cowley had her writings published in a local newspaper. Stacey O’Connell had a solo show of her paintings, Sheri Pfau taught a watercolor workshop for the group, and showed her acrylic paintings at the Little Falls Great River Arts Gallery.

This spring We-R-Artists have shown visual arts at the Foot in the Door exhibit and the Sister Kenny Art Show. The group’s youngest artist, Roland Kosbab, 13, was a VSA Minnesota Kids can Create contest winner.

Despite mourning the recent death of group member Adam Russell, We-R-Artists has more projects in the making and members are learning and helping each other bring out our best talents and boosting the awareness of artists with disabilities, with advocacy assistance from Laura at VSA Minnesota.

Arrowhead Alliance of Artists With Disabilities (AAAWD)

The Arrowhead Alliance of Artists With Disabilities (AAAWD) began in 2006 with a series of VSA arts of Minnesota-sponsored meetings of individual artists organizations from around the state to discuss forming artists with disabilities collectives in Greater Minnesota. In early 2008, VSA provided grant money to help fund AAAWD group projects and outreach activities, and the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council (ARAC) helped organize some early meetings.

Since then fairly regular meetings have led to producing and/or participating in seven successful local arts events. The first phase of strategic planning has just been completed, and goals for the next few years are: Growing - gaining new members and creating more opportunities, Connecting - utilizing state and regional resources like VSA Minnesota, Representing - artists with disabilities in the region, and Funding - securing grants and other funding sources to help achieve goals.

Learn more about AAAWD at: Arrowhead Alliance of Artists With Disabilities Blog, or AAAWD on Facebook, or email aaawdmail@gmail.com.

Artists With Disabilities Alliance (AWDA)

The Artists With Disabilities Alliance (AWDA) continues to meet monthly at the Minneapolis College of Art & Design (MCAD). The participants recently decided to elect a facilitator and notetaker who would serve four-month terms. Alison Bergblom Johnson was elected facilitator and Pamela Bottoms was elected notetaker. A survey of past and prospective members was done to help determine what members want to see AWDA do. Interesting and helpful responses have included focusing on mainstreaming artists with disabilities and helping artists with disabilities to earn money from their art.

The group conducted five Open Flow forums between November and April, featuring guest presenters Mike Price, Pamela Veeder, Alison Bergblom Johnson, Brian Jon Foster and Joe Rheault, each talking about their art forms. Mike and Pamela hosted the recent Open Flows at Carleton Artist Lofts in St. Paul.

The Metro Regional Arts Council accepted AWDA’s final report for last summer’s statewide artists retreat at Macalester College.

Information on upcoming meetings and activities for each of these groups will be found on the VSA Minnesota website under What’s New. AWDA voicemail information is at 612-332-3888 ext. 4.

VSA Minnesota is proud to announce new programming funded through Pathways to Employment, a division of the Minnesota Department on Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

The new programming includes these three great opportunities:

Visual Arts Camp

Minnesota Camps to Careers Visual Arts Camp at St. Cloud’s Paramount Theatre and Visual Arts Center, June 21-24 and June 28-July 1, 9:00 a.m-.3:00 p.m. This camp is designed to introduce transition age youth with disabilities to career options within the visual arts. Mary Roettger will be the on-site teacher, leading students through hands-on exploration, creation and portfolio development, specifically in ceramics and digital photography. Mary is a 2003 McKnight Artist Fellow for Ceramic Artists, a 2005 Minnesota State Fair Art Show Grand Prize Winner for earthenware, and an Adjunct Instructor of Fine Art, Ceramics, at Anoka Ramsey Community College.

Arts Mentoring

Imagine where you would be if you hadn’t had that one person, sometime in your teens, who helped you decide what you wanted to be when you grew up or helped you start down a path to where you are today.

The Arts Mentoring Project for transition age youth with disabilities in Minnesota will be a three to four month period in which students have access to an arts professional in their given career choice. Students will be able to have this opportunity, through email, personal one-on-one meetings and via telephone to ask and learn as much as they can about what it takes to be an Arts Professional.

Already, activities in Duluth, the Twin Cities, central and northeast Minnesota have sought young people to explore all kinds of arts careers – rock music, acting, gallery art, graphic design, arts administration, advertising copywriting, photography, animation, sound editing, and more.

If you know someone interested in being a Mentee or would like to be a Mentor, contact Laura at laura@vsamn.org or go to: What's New, VSA Minnesota’s Arts Mentoring Project.

Yes I Can Work

The Yes I Can Work call for art campaign focuses on the fact that young people with disabilities have skills that are valuable in the workplace. Five works of art were selected to be reproduced as 17" x 22" posters for this awareness campaign aimed at employers, social service providers and the general public. The posters will be available from VSA Minnesota and Pathways to Employment, at the July 26 ADA celebration, and at the State Council on Disability booth at the Minnesota State Fair.

Congratulations to the artists who will receive stipends of $500 for use of their art: Minneapolis: Faye Buffington and Christi Furnas; Hibbing: Tim Ramsay; Northfield: Thomas J. Frank; and St. Louis Park: William Meeks.

THANK YOU! for all donations to VSA Minnesota -- individual gifts, memorials, silent auction donations & purchases, business & corporation gifts, foundation & government grants, and in-kind contributions. Your support makes our work possible across Minnesota. The following donations were received since March 1, 2009. If we missed your name, please contact our office. (italic = in-kind)

Memorials (unrestricted)

Gifts by Dolores, Hart, Candy Hart and Kelly Hart in memory of Harry Daum.

Gifts

Gift by Steve & Elizabeth Schmidt in honor of John & Marilyn Schmidt.
Gift by Lisa Skluzacek in honor of Connie Fullmer & Jimmy Longoria.
Many Gifts in honor of Mark Siegel’s 36th birthday.

Gifts to the VSA Minnesota Endowment Fund

In memory of Nathan Schmidt - John & Marilyn Schmidt, Karl & JoAnn Schmidt, Rowan Zeiss.

Major Benefactors ($10,000 +)

VSA arts (through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education), ArtSpace Projects, Jerome Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, Minnesota Department of Education, Minnesota State Arts Board, Travelers Foundation.

Benefactors ($1,000 – 9,999)

General Mills Foundation, Horncrest Foundation, Lisa Skluzacek, MN Dept. of Employment & Econ. Development/Pathways to Employment, United Arts.

Major Advocates ($500 - $999)

Mary Catherine, Craig Dunn & Candy Hart; Mary Vavra Gibis & Chuck Gibis; Dolores & Merle Hart, Susan Warner.

Advocates ($100 - 499)

Howard Ansel, Patricia Burger, Bob & Kay Burland, Cindy Carlson, Cornerstone Copy Center, Paula & Patrick Dalton, Joe Dolson & Janna Kysilco, Pat Douglass, Mavis Dunn, Pam Elliott & Jane Skorina, Dale Finke & Deb Rielley, Clete Fleming, Connie Fullmer & Jimmy Longoria, Amy & Peter Gale, Dr. Paul Haack, Pam & Jim Hall, Jimmie Hanson, Kelly Hart & John Lane, Al Heinen, Jean Stephen Galleries, Wade Karli, Kathy Klein, Mackall, Crounse & Moore, Chris Marble, David & Karen Minge, William Muchow, Jennifer Nedegaard, Park State Bank - Warehouse District, Anne Peacock, Peggy Peterson, Lawrence Redmond, Jack Roberts, John & Marilyn Schmidt, Steve & Elizabeth Schmidt, Mark Siegel, Norman Steere, Carolmarie Steinegger, Steven & Susan Turbenson, Rick Vogt, Adam Wahlberg, Louise Ziegler.

Sponsors ($50 - 99)

Jaime Becker, Britta Beeck, Diane Blake, Pamela Bottoms, Bridges Transition Program, Elizabeth Childs, Sherri Gebert-Fuller, Martha Hage, Hilree Hamilton, Julie & Anders Himmelstrup, Jody Hofer Van Ness, Erin Keyes, Angeline LaMere, Carla McGrath, Erin McLennon, Dorothy Timm Meili, Linda & Mark Mindel, Donna Norberg, Paul & Dorthea Ofstedal, Bob Payton, Glen & Sandi Pence, Janice Radatz, Nancy & Larry Robbert, Bill Roberts, Karl & JoAnn Schmidt, Jon Skaalen, Jayne Spain, Susan Swenson, Pam Truesdell, Rowan Zeiss.

Supporters (under $50)

Sue Abderholden, Robyn Alexander, Robert K Anderson, Sharman Barrett, Mary Anne Bennett, Woodrow Byun, Cathy Carlson, James Conway, Denise Cronin, Barbara Davis,  Rosemary Dolata, Randy Edinger, Pam Endean, Thomas Fetsch, Mike & Billie Fienhage, Rosemary & Marvin Fish, Amy Furman, Margaret Gilland, Marge Goldberg, Aaron Hanauer, Paula Kelly, Yvonne Klocek, Amy Kurkowski, Ann Lohn, Michael Malver, MaryAlice Mowry, Greg Nielsen, Tony O’Donahue, Chris Orr, Chris Osgood, Don & Kathy Park, Linda Passon-McNally, Pam Paulson, Mary Carol Peterson, Bela Petheo, Jeff Prauer, Klaus & Priscilla Rapp, Ann Richter, Kay Robinson, Wendy Ruble, Susan Searle, Ann Spencer, Todd Stump, John & Mary Thoemke, Toner for Autism, Tom & Kathy Weber, Joan Willshire.

Silent Auction Item Donors

Applebee’s (West St. Paul, Woodbury & Block E), ArtStart, Bloomington Theatre & Art Center, The Bibelot Shops, Richard Bonk, Pamela Bottoms, Gail Burke, Cara Irish Pubs, Cathy Carlson, Caribou Coffee, Howard Carson, Continental Ballet Company, Don Cosgrove, Courage Cards, Kari Davies, Deaf Blender Theatre, Craig Dunn & Candy Hart, Kathie Foslien, Connie Fullmer, Ginkgo Coffeehouse, Great Clips IMAX Theatre, Guthrie Theater, Hauser Dance, John Hauser, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Illusion Theater, Tara Arlene Innmon, Ivey Awards, Raghavan Iyer, Jean Stephen Galleries, Jimmy John’s, Joe’s Garage, Wade Karli, Robert Kingston, DDS, Lakeville City Ballet, The Loon Café, Raymond Luczak, Lyon’s Pub, Denise Martineau, Merlin Players, Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Minnesota Dance Theatre, Minnesota Jewish Theatre Co., Morris Park Players, Mu Performing Arts, Muffuletta, OM Restaurant, Paramount Arts District, Anne Peacock, Plymouth Playhouse, Mike Price & Pamela Veeder, Prime Time Players, R. Leo Pritschet, Nirmala Rajasekar, Refuge Bar & Grill, Jenea Rewertz-Targui, Riverside Concert Series, Bridget Riversmith, Jack Roberts, Maya Rose, Harry & Sue Rosenbaum, Rosetown Playhouse, Steve & Elizabeth Schmidt, Mark Siegel, Jon Skaalen, Lisa Skluzacek, Southern Theater, Starting Gate Productions, Carolmarie Steinegger, Stevie Ray’s Improv Co., Theater Latte Da, Theatre in the Round Players, Triple Espresso Co., U of M Theatre Arts Dept., Very Special Arts India, Rena Vettleson Estate, Vine Park Brewery, Rick Vogt, Sue Warner, White Bear Center for the Arts, Annie Young, Zenon Dance Co. & School.

Lisa Skluzacek of Minneapolis retired from the VSA Minnesota board in October after concluding her  third three-year term. Skluzacek, who works for General Mills, helped start the organization’s Endowment Fund and aided many fund-raising projects (like sailboat trips for silent auctions). Thank you for your service, Lisa!

Two new board members are Carolmarie Steinegger of Plymouth and Todd Stump of Minneapolis. Reelected were Cathy Carlson of Wayzata and Rick Vogt of Lakeville.

Sue Warner succeeded fellow Minneapolitan Mark Siegel as board president. Gail Burke of Woodbury was elected vice president, Wade Karli of Faribault treasurer, and Jack Roberts of St. Paul secretary. Connie Fullmer of Hopkins and Anne Peacock of Eden Prairie also serve.

What do Joe Dowling (Guthrie Theater), the Minnesota Fringe Festival, Armando Gutierrez (CREARTE’), Asian American Renaissance and VSA Minnesota have in common?  They are all past or current recipients of the Sally Ordway Irvine Award in the category of Vision! 

The staff and board of our organization were proud to be recognized by the Minnesota arts community on March 22 at the 2009 Sally Awards held at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in downtown St. Paul. The annual awards, made in honor of the Ordway’s founder, have recognized individuals and organizations demonstrating exemplary work in the Minnesota arts community since 1992. Awards in the categories of Initiative, Commitment and Education this year went to Bedlam Theatre, Myron Johnson and T. Mychael Rambo respectively.

Many friends of VSA Minnesota were on hand for the presentation of the award made in the Ordway’s McKnight Theatre. Ordway’s Executive Director Patricia Mitchell presented the Sally to VSA Minnesota Board President Sue Warner and Executive Director Craig Dunn. Current and past board and staff members stood and were recognized by the audience of about 200.

In accepting the crystal sculpture and cash award, Dunn spoke of the strong leadership provided by past board presidents, especially co-founder Jaehn Clare and the late Eric Peterson. "Their vision of ensuring that arts programming and services be provided to adults as well as children with disabilities, and that arts programming throughout Minnesota be accessible and available to all regardless of disability," Dunn said, "has provided the direction for our organization’s activities over our 22-year history."

A video of the presentation can be found on YouTube: VSA Minnesota - Sally Awards.

July 26, 2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by President George H.W. Bush. On that Monday members of the disability community and the general public will gather to celebrate this important event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Nicollet Island Pavilion on the Mississippi River just south of the Hennepin Avenue Bridge (40 Power Street, Minneapolis 55401).

The event’s headliner is comedian Josh Blue, a Minnesota native and winner of NBC’s 2006 “Last Comic Standing.” Also featured will be Nic Zapko, a storyteller who won a VSA Minnesota Jaehny Award and Career Advancement grant in 2009. Former U.S. Senator David Durenberger, a great friend of the disability and arts communities, will also speak.

The free event will include food and beverages beginning at 11:30 and vendors and exhibitors throughout the four-hour event. ASL and tactile interpreters will be available, and all presentations will be live-captioned. People needing physical assistance will be provided volunteer accommodations. For more information, email Cindy at cindyt@mcil-mn.org or phone her at 651-603-2015 or 888-630-9793, or Marie at 888-206-6513 (TTY) or 866-635-0082 (VP).

We hope to see you on July 26!