Access/VSA International Network

Join us August 18-22 in Cleveland for the 2025 Leadership Exchange in Arts & Disability Conference! LEAD introduces leaders to cultural accessibility and provides ongoing learning, support, camaraderie, and inspiration—necessary fuel for anyone working to change the status quo. accesslead.org

This new Dallas theater has a ‘Big Heart.’ And all its stars are adults with disabilities Big Heart Theater works with adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities to create original musical theater productions.

“My cast, they’re wise. They're compassionate. They're incredibly creative and imaginative and have so many things to share about their views of the world. We should be listening to that.” www.keranews.org/news/2025-04...

Berklee group gives musicians with disabilities space to grow The Berklee Music Inclusion Ensemble highlights the talents of musicians with disabilities. The group will play to their biggest crowd yet Saturday at the Berklee Performance Center.

“Our differences due to our disabilities are not a deficit, but actually the very reason why we're able to create unique music." www.wbur.org/news/2025/04...

Diseducation, the latest from @lachimusic.bsky.social and Apl.De.Ap of the Black Eyed Peas, is a loud and proud #DisabilityPride anthem that educates everyone that #disabled people are joyful and independent - and don’t need pity.

But don't take our word for it. Take Lachi's! #BlindNewWorld ⬇️

Screenshot of our Instagram profile

We love hanging out with you on Bluesky! Want to hang out with us on Instagram too? www.instagram.com/accessvsa?ig...

Now more than ever, we need our community. To draw inspiration, to bounce ideas off, and to be there for each other.

Though our monthly Teas are typically member-only events, this month all our online networking and learning events are FREE! Head to accessvsa.org/learn to learn more or register.

Nominations for the 2025 LEAD Awards are now open! Nominate a friend, colleague or yourself for one of 3 categories: Emerging Leader, Community Asset & Excellence in Accessibility Leadership

Deadline to submit is April 30. bit.ly/LEADAWARDS2025

Wearable ring translates sign language into text SpellRing is trained on 20,000 words in American Sign Language.

“Many other technologies that recognize fingerspelling in ASL have not been adopted by the deaf & hard-of-hearing community because the hardware is bulky & impractical. We sought to develop a single ring to capture all the subtle and complex finger movement in ASL.”

www.popsci.com/technology/s...

Hey... we're having a conference. and you should join us!)

What it is. The 2025 Leadership Exchange in Arts & Disability (LEAD) Conference in an annual gathering which offers cultural accessibility solutions, ongoing learning, support, camaraderie, and inspiration— necessary fuel for anyone working to change the status quo.

Where it is. This year's event will take place in Cleveland, Ohio! While you're here, there will be opportunities to explore local cultural arts centers throughout Cleveland and network with our host organizations and community collaborators.

When it is. This year's event will take place August 18 - 22, 2025 Monday, August 18 ED @ LEAD Tuesday, August 19 Capacity Building Workshops Wednesday, August 20 Conference Sessions Thursday, August 21 Conference Sessions Friday, August 22 Conference Sessions

The Access/VSA team is gearing up for the 2025 LEAD Conference taking place August 18-22 in Cleveland, Ohio.

📅 Mark your calendar for Aug 18-22, 2025
📍 Huntington Convention Center
🎟️ Registration will open in April
🛏️ Hotel details will be announced soon

Questions? Head to accesslead.org!

Future design of the National accessArts Centre building, a light brown facility with a long overhang on the right side, surrounded by trees.

“The new hub will feature a performance venue, arts studio, gallery space for contemporary works completed by artists with disabilities, a cafe, and indoor and outdoor gathering spaces.” www.msn.com/en-ca/news/c...

Pinnacle Mountain State Park introduces all-terrain wheelchairs to enhance trail access Pinnacle Mountain State Park is working to make its scenic trails more accessible to visitors with mobility challenges.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park introduces all-terrain wheelchairs to enhance trail access katv.com/news/local/p... #a11y

We’re still here and will continue to post! Our office staffing has not changed and we are continuing with all our regular programs and events! ❤️

Light blue graphic with a photo in a circle depicting a woman holding a pen to a paper and showing two other participants something on the paper. Below the photo read the text "Making Inclusive Museums Now. Tuesday, March 18 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET" with the ASL and Captioning icons to the right.

Join us for our next Access/VSA Network webinar: Making Inclusive Museums Now on Tuesday, March 18 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. ET with Joel Sanders of JSA/MIXdesign!

This webinar is FREE for members; $15 for non-members. Register now at accessvsa.org!

Redefining Strength: Disability, Identity and Community When you think of the term “disabled,” you may think of a close family member, someone you spoke to at a disABILITYsa or the San Antonio Community Resource Directory volunteer event or maybe you have ...

“It has become more apparent to me that there are a great majority of problems with not only physical inaccessibility but also social acceptance and understanding that extend beyond the individual.” trinitonian.com/2025/01/30/r...

How We Move Offers a New Kind of Intensive Designed for Disabled and Multiply Marginalized Artists With How We Move, a new intensive for dancers 18 and older, Harville and her collaborators hope to create a space where Disabled, multiply marginalized artists can find community, agency, and creative...

“A lot of times, you’ll be in one space designed for disabled bodies that won’t have awareness around race. Or you’ll be in a space that’s queer-friendly but doesn’t have a politic around fatness.” www.dancemagazine.com/how-we-move-...

We are asking artists ages 15-26 to explore how their art interacts with their disability identity, to spark something new in CATALYST, our @kennedycenter.bsky.social 2025 Emerging Young Artists Program. Apply by Feb 28 at www.accessvsa.org/creativecare...

SUBMISSIONS — Superfest FILM SUBMISSIONS

Superfest Disability Film Festival is open for submissions through Feb 21! The event celebrates cutting-edge cinema that portrays disability culture in all its diverse, complex, and empowering facets. superfestfilm.org/submissions?...

Blind singer-songwriter and guitarist Raul Midon is nothing if not prolific. His 14th and latest album Lost & Found is a blend of what he calls “smooth folk,” “alt-pop,” and “jazz.”

Friday, January 10
6:00 p.m. ET
FREE in-person & live stream

www.kennedy-center.org/whats-on/mil...

Careers - NDRN Please contact us if you're interested in sharing an employment opportunity on this page. Submissions are shared at the…

Is finding a new job your New Years' resolution? NDRN and our member agencies are hiring! Come join the fight for disability rights www.ndrn.org/about/careers/

FREE webinar (Jan 16 @ 2pm ET): Embracing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in the Arts: Creating Accessible and Engaging Learning Environments

us02web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

“FOR DEAR LIFE: ART, MEDICINE, AND DISABILITY” The work in “For Dear Life” traces the outlines of an alternative: a culture that finds beauty in fragility and strength in interdependency, in which community is not a marketing buzzword but a vital ...

“The work in “For Dear Life” traces the outlines of an alternative: a culture that finds beauty in fragility and strength in interdependency, in which community is not a marketing buzzword but a vital part of life for the disabled and the able-bodied alike.” www.artforum.com/events/pst-a...

Apply now for our 2025 Creative Careers programs! Kennedy-center.org/vsa

Enter NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest Unsigned artists: Send us a video of you playing an original song (behind a desk!) and you could play your very own Tiny Desk concert.

When you enter the 2025 Tiny Desk Contest, you join a nationwide community of music-makers and creators. Get started on your video now! Entries open on Jan. 14. tinydeskcontest.npr.org/2025/announc... @npr.org

How "Wicked"'s Accessibility Coordinator Made the Land of Oz More Inclusive PS spoke to the accessibility coordinator for "Wicked," Chantelle Nassari, about her work on the film and why every production needs this role.

“Bode credits much of this intentionality to disability coordinator Chantelle Nassari, who evaluated all aspects of the film set to make sure it was accessible for wheelchair users (like herself and actor Bode) and anyone with any access needs in the cast and crew.” www.popsugar.com/health/wicke...

Nathan Tessman, or MC Wheels as he's known on stage, is one of the artists featured in the ABC series, Headliners, available now on iview.

"Once I started getting a lot more [speaking opportunities] at events in the disability sector, where I was basically doing motivational talks, I used that as a way to showcase my music and my story of how I've overcome challenges and limitations.” amp.abc.net.au/article/1046...

Viewing disability and difference through the eye of a lens Photographer Claire Gilliam uses self-portraiture to explore and accept her disabled body, challenging societal beauty norms.

“Photos taken by disabled people can challenge how society sees disability. By showing mobility aids or disabilities openly, these photos can change the story.” disabilityhorizons.com/2024/12/view...

Lego Increases Disability Inclusion In Its Product Line Lego is introducing new characters outfitted with an internationally recognized lanyard designed to quietly indicate that a person has a hidden disability and might need some extra support.

Lego Increases Disability #Inclusion In Its Product Line https://buff.ly/4gqOOqW #a11y

Signs of Accessibility in Performing Arts New TDPS Director Is School’s First Deaf Leader

“My goal is for all TDPS shows to be open captioned. We’ve talked about outreach to communities that would benefit from accessibility offerings. There are lots and lots of possibilities.” today.umd.edu/signs-of-acc...

Access/VSA International Network | cultural arts and disability The Kennedy Center Access/VSA International Network provides community, education, and resources to creatives, educators, and arts leaders striving for the full inclusion of people in cultural arts and disability.

Hi! 👋 We’re the Kennedy Center Office of Access/VSA in Washington, DC. We run programs such as:

- Leadership Exchange in Arts & Disability Annual Conference
- Access/VSA Intl Network
- Emerging Young Artists
- International Young Musicians
- Playwright Discovery Program

Learn more → AccessVSA.org

Graphic with a photo of the Kennedy center in the background and the text “We’re Hiring! administrative & Grants Manager. Full time - Washington, DC” in white text.

We're hiring! Join our team as the Administrative and Grants Manager of the Kennedy Center Office of Access/VSA (Full Time, Washington, DC). phg.tbe.taleo.net/phg01/ats/ca...