Welcome to the VSA arts of Maine Web Site

About VSA arts of Maine

We Have Moved!

VSA arts of Maine has moved from Portland to an elegant, 19th-century building in downtown Brunswick, near Bowdoin College. We have our own parking lot, and will be building a fully accessible entrance this winter. And we have space for our new art gallery.

New Contact Info:
185 Park Row, Brunswick Maine 04011. Telephone/TTY: 207-607-4016. Fax 207-607-4018. Email and web site are the same: info@vsartsmaine.org and www.vsartsmaine.org.

map Directions:

From the north via Maine Turnpike: Take Exit 103, then I-295 to Exit 28, then see instructions below.

From the north or south on 295: Take Exit 28 (Brunswick/ Bath Coastal Route). Stay in the right lane on Route 1 North/ Pleasant Street and follow signs for Maine Street (do not turn left on Rt. 1 North toward Bath!).
Turn left on Maine Street. (Our office is located in the opposite direction, adjacent to the Bowdoin Campus, but due to one-way streets, it is easier to reach us by turning left on Maine Street.)
Take the first right onto Center Street and, at the end of the block, turn right onto Federal Street. Continue on Federal for ½ mile and turn right onto Cleaveland Street just past the railroad tracks.
At the end of Cleaveland Street, you will see the Bowdoin Campus to the left, and the UCC church straight ahead. Park Row and the Brunswick Common (a park) are on the right. Turn onto Park Row.
We are in the first building on the right, 185 Park Row, a white Federal-era house. Hattie's Ice Cream and Champs Screenprinting are located in the front (as well as an entry to our Gallery at Park Row).

There is street parking in front of the building, and a driveway to the left of it that will bring you to the parking lot and the main VSA arts of Maine entry. Wheelchair-accessible entry modifications are underway, but not yet complete. We apologize for any inconvenience.

"We are a leading force in a movement to transform the way we teach, the way we learn about each other, and the way we live."
Dr. Michael Magee, Board Chair VSA arts Headquarters

VSA arts of Maine is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing arts, educational and cultural opportunities for children and adults with disabilities in Maine. Through innovative and inclusive arts programs, VSA arts of Maine promotes the creative power in people with disabilities. Programs include artist residencies in schools, workshops for teachers and artists, mentoring and apprenticeships for adult artists with disabilities, The Gallery at Park Row, exhibitions of work by artists with disabilities, and partnerships with cultural venues throughout the state to improve accessibility.

VSA arts of Maine is an affiliate of VSA arts, a direct program of the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.. Founded in 1974 by Jean Kennedy Smith, VSA arts is an international network promoting education and lifelong learning opportunities in the arts for people with disabilities. Formerly named Very Special Arts, VSA arts changed its name in 1999, eliminating the use of the word "special" to honor the progress made by members of the disability community since the organization's inception. The letters now reflect the Vision of an inclusive community, Strength in shared resources and Artistic expression that unites us all.

About Our Programs

VSA arts "Arts in Action" Video presents a short, vibrant introduction to VSA arts' work nationwide.

Artist Residencies are designed to provide unique learning experiences through the arts for students in K-12 inclusive and special needs classrooms and other community settings. Each residency is individually designed to enable teachers to learn new tools to integrate the arts with other academic subjects while directly addressing the Maine State Learning Results and NCLB. Residencies also provide students with direct, hands-on experience with professional artists in the classroom while encouraging interdisciplinary learning and enrichment of curriculum content through the arts. VSA arts Artist Residencies engage all students through the multiple modalities inherent in artistic processes and promote full access to quality arts experiences for all students.
More information...

Professional Development Workshops are conducted for general, art and special education teachers and administrators throughout Maine. Workshops are centered on the use of adaptive techniques, best practices, multiple intelligence theory, and incorporating inclusive arts programming into the classroom to help all children succeed.
More information...

Career Arts offers workshops, resources and referral for artists with disabilities. Our new program, The Gallery at Park Row, provides apprenticeships for artists to learn the business side of marketing art, and also serves as a place where artists can sell their work.
More information...

Accessible Maine (AccME) is a statewide collaboration to increase awareness of accessibility issues in Maine’s arts, culture and recreational facilities. Occupational therapy students from Husson College conduct cultural site surveys and provide the sites with reports containing information and suggestions for making their facilities more accessible. Every spring, the partners present a “Low Cost Solutions for Accessibility” free seminar offering easy accessibility improvements. Cultural sites may also conduct self-surveys through and on-line tool with accompanying recommendations for accessibility improvements.
More information...

A Matter of Perception: Exhibition by Artists with Disabilities is an annual exhibition which showcases the artwork and celebrates the talent of Maine contemporary artists with disabilities. Exhibition locations include art galleries, libraries, state offices and disability organizations across Maine. Public information and accompanying programming raises awareness about disability issues, creates opportunities for artists with disabilities to market their work, and expands access to the arts for traditionally under-served populations. Related activities and events include public opening receptions, gallery talks, disability awareness training for museum and gallery personnel, and outreach and related programming for schools, group homes, and social clubs.
More information...

Staff

Kippy Rudy, Executive Director, kippyrudy@vsartsmaine.org
Rachel Spatz, Education & Program Director, rspatz@vsartsmaine.org
Gracia Woodward, Development and Marketing Coordinator, graciawoodward@vsartsmaine.org

Board of Directors

Randy Judkins, President
Mabel Gerquest

[ Children's Programs ] [ Artist Opportunities ] [ Cultural Access Initiatives ] [ A Matter of Perception Exhibition ]
[ Gallery at Park Row ] [ About Us ] [ Help VSA ] [ Contact Us ] [ Resources ] [ Exhibitions & Events ] [ Home ]

This website developed with the support of the Maine CITE Project.
Maine CITE is authorized under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 and is funded from the
National Institute on Disabilities and Rehabilitation Research, US Department of Education.


		About VSA arts of Maine We Have Moved! VSA arts of Maine has moved from Portland to an elegant, 19th-century building in downtown Brunswick, near Bowdoin College. We have our own parking lot, and will be building a fully accessible entrance this winter. And we have space for our new art gallery. New Contact Info: 185 Park Row, Brunswick Maine 04011. Telephone/TTY: 207-607-4016. Fax 207-607-4018. Email and web site are the same: info@vsartsmaine.org and www.vsartsmaine.org. Directions: From the north via Maine Turnpike: Take Exit 103, then I-295 to Exit 28, then see instructions below. From the north or south on 295: Take Exit 28 (Brunswick/ Bath Coastal Route). Stay in the right lane on Route 1 North/ Pleasant Street and follow signs for Maine Street (do not turn left on Rt. 1 North toward Bath!). Turn left on Maine Street. (Our office is located in the opposite direction, adjacent to the Bowdoin Campus, but due to one-way streets, it is easier to reach us by turning left on Maine Street.) Take the first right onto Center Street and, at the end of the block, turn right onto Federal Street. Continue on Federal for ½ mile and turn right onto Cleaveland Street just past the railroad tracks. At the end of Cleaveland Street, you will see the Bowdoin Campus to the left, and the UCC church straight ahead. Park Row and the Brunswick Common (a park) are on the right. Turn onto Park Row. We are in the first building on the right, 185 Park Row, a white Federal-era house. Hattie's Ice Cream and Champs Screenprinting are located in the front (as well as an entry to our Gallery at Park Row). There is street parking in front of the building, and a driveway to the left of it that will bring you to the parking lot and the main VSA arts of Maine entry. Wheelchair-accessible entry modifications are underway, but not yet complete. We apologize for any inconvenience. "We are a leading force in a movement to transform the way we teach, the way we learn about each other, and the way we live." Dr. Michael Magee, Board Chair VSA arts Headquarters VSA arts of Maine is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing arts, educational and cultural opportunities for children and adults with disabilities in Maine. Through innovative and inclusive arts programs, VSA arts of Maine promotes the creative power in people with disabilities. Programs include artist residencies in schools, workshops for teachers and artists, mentoring and apprenticeships for adult artists with disabilities, The Gallery at Park Row, exhibitions of work by artists with disabilities, and partnerships with cultural venues throughout the state to improve accessibility. VSA arts of Maine is an affiliate of VSA arts, a direct program of the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.. Founded in 1974 by Jean Kennedy Smith, VSA arts is an international network promoting education and lifelong learning opportunities in the arts for people with disabilities. Formerly named Very Special Arts, VSA arts changed its name in 1999, eliminating the use of the word "special" to honor the progress made by members of the disability community since the organization's inception. The letters now reflect the Vision of an inclusive community, Strength in shared resources and Artistic expression that unites us all. About Our Programs VSA arts "Arts in Action" Video presents a short, vibrant introduction to VSA arts' work nationwide. Artist Residencies are designed to provide unique learning experiences through the arts for students in K-12 inclusive and special needs classrooms and other community settings. Each residency is individually designed to enable teachers to learn new tools to integrate the arts with other academic subjects while directly addressing the Maine State Learning Results and NCLB. Residencies also provide students with direct, hands-on experience with professional artists in the classroom while encouraging interdisciplinary learning and enrichment of curriculum content through the arts. VSA arts Artist Residencies engage all students through the multiple modalities inherent in artistic processes and promote full access to quality arts experiences for all students. More information... Professional Development Workshops are conducted for general, art and special education teachers and administrators throughout Maine. Workshops are centered on the use of adaptive techniques, best practices, multiple intelligence theory, and incorporating inclusive arts programming into the classroom to help all children succeed. More information... Career Arts offers workshops, resources and referral for artists with disabilities. Our new program, The Gallery at Park Row, provides apprenticeships for artists to learn the business side of marketing art, and also serves as a place where artists can sell their work. More information... Accessible Maine (AccME) is a statewide collaboration to increase awareness of accessibility issues in Maine’s arts, culture and recreational facilities. Occupational therapy students from Husson College conduct cultural site surveys and provide the sites with reports containing information and suggestions for making their facilities more accessible. Every spring, the partners present a “Low Cost Solutions for Accessibility” free seminar offering easy accessibility improvements. Cultural sites may also conduct self-surveys through and on-line tool with accompanying recommendations for accessibility improvements. More information... A Matter of Perception: Exhibition by Artists with Disabilities is an annual exhibition which showcases the artwork and celebrates the talent of Maine contemporary artists with disabilities. Exhibition locations include art galleries, libraries, state offices and disability organizations across Maine. Public information and accompanying programming raises awareness about disability issues, creates opportunities for artists with disabilities to market their work, and expands access to the arts for traditionally under-served populations. Related activities and events include public opening receptions, gallery talks, disability awareness training for museum and gallery personnel, and outreach and related programming for schools, group homes, and social clubs. More information... Staff Kippy Rudy, Executive Director, kippyrudy@vsartsmaine.org Rachel Spatz, Education & Program Director, rspatz@vsartsmaine.org Gracia Woodward, Development and Marketing Coordinator, graciawoodward@vsartsmaine.org Board of Directors Randy Judkins, President Mabel Gerquest

Search for [ Children's Programs ] [ Artist Opportunities ] [ Cultural Access Initiatives ] [ A Matter of Perception Exhibition ] [ Gallery at Park Row ] [ About Us ] [ Help VSA ] [ Contact Us ] [ Resources ] [ Exhibitions & Events ] [ Home ] This website developed with the support of the Maine CITE Project. Maine CITE is authorized under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 and is funded from the National Institute on Disabilities and Rehabilitation Research, US Department of Education.