ArtsBridge: National Initiative on Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities

ArtsBridge is an outgrowth of a process begun in 1998 with the first ever National Forum on Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities. Nearly 300 artists with disabilities, rehabilitation counselors, arts service organization representatives, arts educators, and federal agency staff members gathered at the Kennedy Center to address issues related to careers in the arts for people with disabilities. In the ensuing years, summit meetings have taken place to address a variety of issues on the topic. In November of 2000, the Forum advisory committee reviewed the recommendations from the summit meetings and provided guidance for implementing programs, projects, and services related to careers in the arts for people with disabilities. Using the recommendations of the Forum, Quest has developed a three-year strategic plan to implement ArtsBridge.

The mission of Artsbridge is to develop partnerships between the disability and art communities to advance and promote the artistic abilities of people with disabilities and to eliminate the barriers they encounter in achieving professional status in the arts. ArtsBridge will implement new initiatives that encourage the employment, education, and training opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the arts.

Arts and Disability Partnership Network
The Partnership Network brings together national arts and arts service organizations and institutions with national disability service organizations to bridge a communications and services gap. Few people with disabilities are members of arts or arts service organizations. At the same time few organizations in the arts community communicate their program activities through information outlets used by many people with disabilities. The goal of this partnership is to bridge that gap. Using existing communication modes, each partner will share with each other information and resources on employment opportunities in the arts and other related information. The partnership network was officially instituted at a meeting held on Dec. 12, 2002. For further information about each partner, please visit their web sites.

Scholarships

Flemming Music Scholarship Fund