The mission of VSA arts Tennessee is to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in and express themselves through the arts and arts education.
2008 VSA arts Tennessee Calendar
Code Key:
AIE – Arts in Education CVS – Project related to CVS Pharmacies
E – Visual Arts Exhibition
MP – Part of VSA arts TN’s Marketing Plan
P – Performance
SP – Special Project
T – Professional Development Training
A residency will take place with Carol Ponder and Steve Mock at Hamilton Elementary as part of our Arts In Education, Dept of Education program. However, due to professional and personal issues on both the side of the artist and the educator, they have had to postpone setting dates and a direction for this project until next week. This will be a late spring project. More details to come by the end of January.
January
* A residency will take place at Grundy Co High School (AIE)
Throughout Jan in which the Special Education class And the art teacher will create a large canvass painting For the school and the CDC Band will perform. Betty Carpenter is the artist in charge and this is part of the Dept Of Ed funding.
3: Educator Training Session Grundy Co High School (AIE/T)
Part of AIE grant from TN Arts Commission. Betty Carpenter facilitator.
15:Dulcimer Project (SP)
For this project, award winning dulcimer players, Sarah Elizabeth and Sandy Conatser will be running residencies in Sumner Co and Davidson Co to introduce children with Autism to the dulcimer. The goal is to find 4-10 students who have the interest and ability to begin a Dulcimer Choir which will be a performing group. The Dulcimer Choir will be inducted at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Beech High School. This program is supported by the TN Department of Developmental Disabilities and the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
16: Little Tunnel Project (AIE)
Special Education students at Westmoreland High School are learning the history of the “Little Tunnel” which is in their community. This the littlest tunnel in the world. The students are making a large canvass painting of the tunnel.There will be a community reception for the painting. Then the students will take the painting and present it to the legislative body in the TN Senate Chambers in Nashville, receive a tour of the Capital and eat at the Spaghetti Factory. We have been told that many of these students have never left their community or eaten at a sit down restaurant. This is a huge project for them. This is supported through an ABC grant from the Community Foundation and Diane Black. Artist: Amy Smart
17: Dulcimer Project – Beech High School (SP)
22: Dulcimer Project – Beech High School (SP)
22: Playwright Competition Session
Debbie Watts will lead sessions on how to write a play and how to research materials for a play in an after school program help at Merrol Hyde Magnet School. The sessions result in plays for the Playwright Competition. Supported by KPMG.
23: Little Tunnel Project (AIE)
24: Dulcimer Project – Beech High School (SP)
28: Choices Project (AIE)
This project is taking place at Beech High School. The special education students are learning to create yard art. They are also learning skills in marketing their art. The end result of the project is for the class to be operating their own business which will continue for future classes. This is part of the Dept of Ed funding and supported by GAP. Artist is Amy Smart
28: Playwright Competition Session
29: Dulcimer Project – Beech High School (SP)
29: Pollock Pillows (AIE)
Special Education students at Lenior Elementary School in East TN will work with artist Karen Bailey Earith to create Pollock pillows to help them with fine motor coordination, communication and color distribution. This is part of our Dept of Ed programming
30: Little Tunnel Project (AIE)
31: Dulcimer Project – Beech High School (SP)
February
4: Choices Project (AIE)
4: Playwright Competition Session
5: Dulcimer Project – Beech High School (SP)
5: Pollock Pillows (AIE)
6: Out of Sight Project (CVS)
Karen Earith will be working at the TN School for the blind on fiber art projects with the students.
6: Little Tunnel Project (AIE)
7: Out of Sight/Tactile Art (CVS)
7: Dulcimer Project – Beech High School (SP)
11: Playwright Competition Session
11: Choices Project (AIE)
11-13: National Visit
VSA arts International will be in town and visiting our
programs, looking at our finances and attending the Board
meeting.
12: Dulcimer Project – Beech High School (SP)
12: VSA Board meeting
6:30pm Gallatin, Place TBA
12: Pollock Pillows (AIE)
13: Out of Sight/Tactile Art (CVS)
13: Little Tunnel Project (AIE)
14: Dulcimer Project – Beech High School (SP)
14: Out of Sight/Tactile Art (CVS)
15: Plays for the Playwright Competition Due
18: Judging of the Playwright Competition
18: Choices Project (AIE)
19: Dulcimer Project – Beech High School (SP)
19: Pollock Pillows (AIE)
20: Little Tunnel Project (AIE)
21: Dulcimer Project – Beech High School (SP)
21: Out of Sight – Auditory Art (CVS)
Artist Yvette Parish will work with the students
at the TN School for the Blind creating auditory art.
24: Little Tunnel Community Reception
2:30 Westmoreland High School Cafeteria
25: Choices Project (AIE)
26: Dulcimer Project – Hunter Middle School (SP)
26: Pollock Pillows (AIE)
27: Dept of Ed conference opening reception
VSA assisted Steve Sparks in finding entertainment
for the opening reception of the Dept of Ed conference
that will take place from 4:45pm-6:15pm at the Marriott
in Nashville by the airport. The entertainment will be
Seth Link and his jazz group. Seth is a 2007 VSA Young
Soloist winner. (Seth is not yet completely confirmed)
28: Out of Sight – Auditory Art (CVS)
28: Out of Sight – Drumming Session (CVS)
Artist, Rising Moon, will work with students at the TN
School for the Blind on drumming techniques
28: Little Tunnel trip to Nashville (SP)
28: 9am Dept of Ed Presentation/Nashville Marriott (MP/AIE)
A presentation will be made at a conference
of the TN Dept of Ed regarding our arts in education
program in the schools. This is part of a fulfillment
of our contract with the DOE and part of a fulfillment
of our proposed marketing plan. Presenter is Robert
Kiefer.
28: Dulcimer Project – Hunter Middle School (SP)
March
There will also be some dulcimer training sessions in Davidson Co in March and the possibility of a cooperative dulcimer activity with a June camp with the Kennedy Center at Vanderbilt. Details should be finalized on these dates by the end of January.
3: Choices Project (AIE)
4: Arts Advocacy Day at Capitol Hill
4: Dulcimer Project – Hunter Middle School (SP)
4: Pollock Pillows (AIE)
5: Out of Sight – Drumming (CVS)
6: Out of Sight – Auditory Art (CVS)
6: Dulcimer Project – Hunter Middle School (SP)
6: Drumming Project at TN School for the Blind (CVS)
8: Dulcimer Concert P
Sarah Elizabeth Musgrave has put together a concert
that will take place at 7:30pm, in the Tucker Recital
Hall of the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt. The
Headliner is Mark Leland (www.markleland.net) with
Performers: Tammy Vice, Jim Ferguson and Beegie Adair,
Sarah Elizabeth, Gordon Ellis and Walt Aldridge. Cost is $20 for
adults and $15 for students. ALL proceeds from this
concert goes to the Dulcimer Choir program. Funds will
be used to purchase instruments for the first Dulcimer
Choir members. Tickets can be purchased by calling
Sarah Elizabeth at (615) 264-2419.
10: Choices Project (AIE)
11: Dulcimer Project – Hunter Middle School (SP)
12: Out of Sight – Drumming (CVS)
13: Dulcimer Project – Hunter Middle School (SP)
13: Drumming Project at TN School for the Blind (CVS)
17: Choices Project (AIE)
18: Dulcimer Project – Hunter Middle School (SP)
20: Dulcimer Project – Hunter Middle School (SP)
24: Choices Project (AIE)
25-27: Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare (AIE/MP)
Carol Ponder has submitted a proposal to present
at this conference regarding our arts in education program.
We do not know the date, time or if she will be selected as
of yet.
26: Out of Sight – Drumming (CVS)
28-30: VSA national meeting in Washington, DC
31: Choices Project (AIE)
31: Out of Sight – Storytelling/Theater (CVS)
Actress, Estelle Condra, will work with the students
at the Tennessee School for the Blind on theater techniques.
April
* Civic Presentation (MP)
A student from the Choices program will present
to a civic organization regarding the Choices program.
The date has not yet been set, but it will be in April.
1-30: Art Exhibition (E)
An exhibition of the clay pots created by the children
at the Tennessee School for the Blind during the Dec
residency will be on display at the Gallatin City Hall.
1: Dulcimer Project – Hunter Middle School (SP)
2: Out of Sight – Storytelling/Theater (CVS)
3: Dulcimer Project – Hunter Middle School (SP)
3: Out of Sight – Drumming (CVS)
3: Out of Sight – Storytelling/Theater (CVS)
5: Out of Sight (P)
This will be the culminating performance of the CVS
residency program. It will be a unique program in which
the audience will experience some of the sensations of what
it would be like to be visually impaired. Performances will
be given by Estelle Condra, Angela Mosley, Doug Walker,
students and choir of the Tennessee School for the Blind.
3-5pm, free of charge, Ford Theater, Country Music Hall
Of Fame.
7: Choices Project (AIE)
8: Dulcimer Project – Hunter Middle School (SP)
9: Corporate Presentations (MP)
The plan is to have the ORCO class at MTSU plan
a reception with presentations for business leaders.
this will be a late afternoon event. We are hoping
to do this at the Frist.
10: Dulcimer Project – Hunter Middle School (SP)
14: Dulcimer Project – White House Middle School (SP)
14: Choices Project (AIE)
16: Dulcimer Project – White House Middle School (SP)
17: Arts Festival at Harris Hillman 9:30-11:00 (SP)
21: Dulcimer Project – White House Middle School (SP)
23: Dulcimer Project – White House Middle School (SP)
28: Dulcimer Project – White House Middle School (SP)
30: Dulcimer Project – White House Middle School (SP)
May
1 – June 30: TPAC (E)
This will be an exhibition of art by adults with
disabilities at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center
in the Polk Lobby. Artists have not yet been selected.
3: Board meeting, Nashville, 3pm, Country Music Hall of Fame
The plan is to hold the board meeting at the Country Music
Hall of Fame directly after the induction of the Dulcimer Choir
3: Dulcimer Project Induction, 2pm Country Music Hall of Fame
A special induction ceremony will be held at the Country
Music Hall of Fame to induct the new members of the
TN Dulcimer Choir. Country Music Hall of Fame is serving
as a partner and donating the space.
11-13: Tennessee Arts Commission Conference (MP)
I will be presenting at this conference regarding our
“Out of Sight” project. Not certain of date or time.
16-Sept 14: Frist Center (E)
VSA arts TN has worked in collaboration with the
Frist Center to put together an exhibition featuring the
art of TN artists with disabilities.
17: Opening Reception 1-3pm Frist Center (E)
This is the opening reception for the art exhibition
in which VSA has been a partner. It will feature
the art of Tennessee artists with disabilities and it
is called “The Artist’s Voice”. Featured performance
by 2008 VSA arts TN Young Soloist winner, Angela
Mosley.
This will be an exhibition of art by children with
disabilities at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center
in the Polk Lobby. Artists have not yet been selected.
7 Teacher/Professional Development Training at the Frist 10-2:30 (AIE/T)
This is a training session for educators and artists. The
educators will share information on the type of assistance
and information that they need for their classrooms. Artists
will share information on the type of information they need
about classes and what they can offer the classroom. Activities
will be utilized where the educators and artists will do some
activities together through Start with the Arts activities.
This is support through the Tennessee Arts Commission
Artist is Yvette Parish.
July
21-25: Art Institute
The Art Institute’s goal is to expose children with and
without disabilities to a selected culture through that
culture’s dance, drama, literature, music and visual
arts. The camp runs from 9am-2pm each day. On
Friday, there is a special presentation by the children
at 11am followed by a closing reception. The 2008
culture is Italy.
