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ArtWorks Forum for People with Disabilities in the Arts

Session Summaries

  1. Preparing for a Career in the Arts (A-1)
  2. Financial, Insurance, and Benefits Issues of Employment (A-2)
  3. Employment Stories (A-3)
  4. Employment and Disability 101 (B-1)
  5. Working with People with Disabilities (B-2)
  6. Employment in Action (B-3)

All sessions were held on October 5, 2004.

Preparing for a Career in the Arts

Speakers
  • N. Barnett
  • C. Karson
  • B. Mathers
  • S. Zurbuchen

Scribe

  • Sara Beanblossom

Main Points of Presentation

  1. Sharing first hand experiences about employment - C. Karson
    • If you have a disability you are labeled with a liability. Increase you assets through knowledge, experience and networking
    • Employers cannot inquire about disability. You should acknowledge your disability, make potential employers comfortable with disability
    • Employers can ask questions about performance -- anticipate and address them. “Because of my disability, I have developed...”
    • Rejection: Don't take it personally! Use it as a tool.
  2. Mentioned model program (Brown County Creative Mentoring Program), which could be used for all ages, matches artists with students - B. Mathers
    • Found artists and sold the program: You are the authors of your life!
    • C students were transformed into successful artists through program
    • Mentors who are successful artists give much to the program
  3. Follow-up on exciting elements of the day so far - S. Zurbuchen
    • Addressing limitations and looking at strengths
    • Arts administrators, artists, anyone who makes the arts happen are working in the arts!
    • Education can mean experience, interning, volunteering, learning new software, being on committees, and just a degree
    • Planning and organization is important to maintain life - but don't forget to dream. “If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there!”

Participant Questions

  1. How can my artwork be exhibited?
    • Participants - Group shows or nonprofit galleries may be an option
    • Circle of Janus art show may be an opportunity for showing in Indianapolis
    • Susan Z. - Network! Ask how others are gotten their work exhibited
  2. Are there programs for adults (not children or seniors) that are affordable and accessible?
  3. Are there on-line opportunities to market art
    • Paul N. - Use internet to post your info/artwork thru email, VSAI, VSA arts and other sites that feature artists with disabilities
  4. How can we find grants to help our art?
    • Bobbie G. - Indiana Arts Commission $1000 grant deadline is 2/1/05
  5. How can disability education emphasize the arts as a career path for persons with disabilities other than flipping burgers?

Financial, Insurance, and Benefits Issues of Employment

Financial, Insurance, and Benefits Issues of Employment (A-2)

Speaker

  • Becky Banks, Research Associate at Indiana University

Main Points of Presentation

  1. Basic Concerns People Have about Benefits and Work
    • SSDI - Works like a social security trust fund
    • SSI - a government welfare program paying a benefit rate covering food, clothing and shelter ($541/month currently)
    • Medicaid - State of Indiana matches federal funding (strict eligibility guidelines)
    • Medicare - Insurance program attached to retirement
    • HUD - Discounted rent based on disabilities and tenant numbers
    • Food stamps (adjust $1 for every $3 you earn)
    • Ticket to Work and Work Improvements Act (Clinton initiative) network for employment and work incentives
    • Student earned income exclusion (does not effect SSI)
    • Impairment related work expenses (submit expenses and will increase your SSI because it costs you more to go to work with a disability)
    • PASS - Plan to achieve self-support (needs to be a career and demonstrate progress towards PASS plan and eventually go off benefits)
  2. Details about the Work Incentives for SSI. Extended period of eligibility
    • If you go over the substantial gainful activity amount ($810) a month you don't get the SSI, however, you can use the Subsidy
  3. Other Important Information about State and Federal Programs
    • If you go to work you can pay a premium and continue Medicaid coverage (i.e. If you're making $13,000/year you pay $48/month)

Participant Questions

  1. How do I know which plan I am on?
    • It depends on the day of the month the check arrives on
  2. Who would I talk to about job guidance? 
    • Indiana Works - A benefits counselor will help you with what work incentives your disability provides you with
  3. I'm living on a small inheritance that I will have for the rest of my life, but I am not entitled to benefits, can I receive additional funds?
    • Go to the office of vocational placement in your area

Employment Stories

Employment Stories (A-3)

Speakers

  • Paul Neufelder
  • Scotty Zwicker

Main Points of Presentation

  1. Look at art as a calling, don't do it without passion
  2. You have to invest if you believe in yourself, and then others will believe in you as well
  3. Realize that you (artists) are selling themselves as well as their art, develop ways to cope with rejection and negative feedback
  4. Always work on your marketing, keeping people informed and up-to-date
  5. Anticipate challenges, expect them, and be prepared to handle them because there will be challenges
  6. Be creative in your thinking, not just your art, i.e. who can you talk with, partner with, what can you do with stuff
  7. The biggest barrier is attitude
  8. Praise and nurturing are very important, perhaps more important because of the daily challenges you must deal with

Participant Questions

  1. Is knowledge of art history helpful?
    • Yes - Education in general is good
  2. Do Know of any willing mentors?
    • Yes - Make personal, physical contact with galleries, etc.
  3. What sources are available for techniques and history?
    • Contact art professors at colleges and use the Internet

Brief Summary of Audience Input

  • In Michigan, there is a push to help people see value of arts in general
  • Try to find a match of needs
    • If you need studio space and other person needs an arts instructor, swap needs

Employment and Disability

Employment and Disability 101 (B-1)

Speakers

  • Paula Terry, NEA
  • Frank Epperson, IU
  • Tina Baich, Clowes Hall

Main Points of Presentation

  1. Take advantage of resources such as a mentorship program and research program that will create a national database, sponsored by the NEA
    • Nontraditional casting project (NYC) works to include people of color and people with disabilities in all kinds of roles
    • NEA website: http://www.arts.gov/
    • Job Accommodation Network works with employers to make jobs accessible
    • Design for Accessibility book is a new Directory that includes an Indy artist Paul Tarrantino
  2. Be welcoming
    • Get qualified people with disabilities to serve on panels as volunteers, staff and artists
  3.  Offer services that are routine (i.e. accessible seating) and those that require advance notice (i.e. Braille and large print, audio description, etc.)
  4. Make sure you know the disability law.
    • The ADA is still enforceable and the Rehab Act exists
    • Title I covers every aspect of employment
  5. Important to read and educate yourself and ask "stupid" questions
  6. Resource materials are available in the Exhibitor Rm. at ADA display
  7. Certain services require preparation.
    • Example: In the case of a series of repeated performances, work with a group of people with hearing loss and a group with visual impairments and ask them which night they would like to have interpreters and/or audio description. For one time events, ask advisory group to choose some dates in the season for the venue to offer audio description or interpretation. It's too expensive otherwise.
  8. The way you present your accommodations is very important; Being well-meaning isn't enough.

Participant Questions

  1. Do you get a lot of users for audio description?

Brief Summary of Audience Input

  • Offering accommodations is a form of audience development
  • Accessibility has to be affordable to the presenting organization as well as the patrons
  • Audio description needs to be better marketed in Indiana
  • Use the graphic symbol; people with recognize it.

Working with People with Disabilities

Working with People with Disabilities (B-2)

Speakers

  • Barbara Barnett
  • Lori Wong
  • Emily Dean

Moderator

  • Doug Bebee

Main Points of Presentation

  1. SECT Centers, mental health centers provides employment support for clients.
    • Service is free to employers
    • SECT train staffs to work with individuals with disabilities
  2. Private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions with 15 or more employees are covered by Title 1 of the ADA
    • Reasonable accommodation: 15% cost nothing; 51% cost between $1 and $500
  3. Provided interviewing tips for employers, who can't ask questions about disability, medications, etc.
    • Employers can ask: Do you use illegal drugs? and Have you ever been arrested for driving under the influence? IF the job requires driving.
    • Employers can ask: Is there any reason you cannot meet the required tasks for this job? and Can you perform the essential functions of the position with or without accommodations?
  4. ATTAIN provides assistive technology for the creative process.
    • Assistive technology is any piece of equipment or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that's used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
  5. Only 30% of working age adults with severe disabilities is working.
  6. 15% of accommodations cost nothing, 51% cost between $1 and $500
  7. ATTAIN's annual conference will be Tuesday after Easter in 2005 at the Convention Center

Participant Questions

  1. Will Vocational Rehab pay for a mentor?
    • Bebee: I wouldn't rule it out
  2. What is the minimum number of hours that individuals must work before the employer receives a tax credit?
    • Bebee: 120 hours

Employment in Action

Employment in Action (B-3)

Speakers: Jeanie Peterson, Jim Nulty, Dave Gootee, Larry Pejeau, Bitta DeWees, Mike Long

Main Points of Presentation 

  1. Dave Stonebelt
    • A provider for people with disabilities - 45 years, 1000 clients, located in Bloomington, 85% funded by the state
    • Find that we don't need to focus on accommodations - everyone works together
    • We approached teams, and service clubs, etc.
    • Lots of work, and trial and error.
    • Gave away chairs to state/local parks to promote products
    • Need to get name recognition to pick up momentum
  2. Theatre group, Jumping Mouse Players, was sponsored by VSAI in 1996
    • Jeanie, who is legally blind, started with VSAI in 1998
    • Voc Rehab and employees at VSAI help make work accessible
      • Phone with adaptations to answer, page and transfer,
      • Computer that is voice activated, cane to help get around.
      • Closed Circuit TV assists Jeanie in reading labels on mail and distributing mail to employee mailboxes.
      • She also manages audio description equipment.
  3. Jim McNulty says that if you want to work with people who appreciate you, you should work with people who have faced adversity and challenges.
    • VSA is all of this, staff and board and consumers are of all abilities and circumstances
    • Enrich your self as an employer by including those of all abilities.

Participant Questions

  1. Tell us about the employer/employee relationship at Stonebelt. A. We wanted to be a community employer. Disabled employees are treated like all other employees.
  2. What are some success stories? A. seeing the employees realize results - such as finishing 200 belts for the US military.
  3. How does working with people with disabilities make you a more creative problem solver? A. People with special needs have already started to solve their problems.