| | Resources for Adaptive Artists Art Beyond Sight, Inc. Art Beyond Sight has a mission to make art, art history and visual culture accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired. The organization is located in New York City but carries out its work as "the leader and facilitator of an international, multi-disciplinary collaborative of sighted and blind museum professionals, artists, educators, scientists, scholars, rehabilitation professionals, and blind and visually impaired advisors throughout the world." The Museum is completely wheelchair-accessible and incorporates many programs for people with disabilities, including guided tours for blind and visually-impaired patrons, and signed interpreters for those with hearing-loss. There is also a gallery (Elizabeth Morse Touch Gallery) devoted to touch which includes four sculptures treated with a special protective wax to enable touching them. The sculptures are from different time periods and places of origin accompanied by text panels and labels presented in large type and braille. TacTile kits provide handheld tiles designed to be touched. They represent masterpieces from the Art Institute's collection and include a color photograph, a large-type print description and a braille description of each work. This museum of fine arts is a permanent replica of the French pavilion from San Francisco's Panama Pacific International Exposition. It is a wheelchair accessible museum, and provides audio tours, transcripts in large print, braille brochures, ASL interpretation and assistive listening devices. Guided tours for blind or low vision, dear or hard of hearing can be arranged. They also have a monthly program called Artful Discoveries, for individuals living with dementia and their care givers. It is a wheelchair accessible museum, and provides audio guides, some exhibilt labels in large print, special programs for visitors who are deaf and real-time captioning. The MDA Art Collection is on permanent display at the MDA national headquarters in Tucson, AZ. It features original works by adults and children with neuromuscular disorders. This association features the work of individuals who have lost or never had the use of their hands due to illness, accident or birth defect. All products are designed by holding a brush with either the mouth or foot. There is also a world-wide association of mouth and foot artists called VDMFK. Their website defaults to German, but can be translated to English or Spanish. Even if you can't fly to Paris, you can visit the Louvre via virtual exhibits. Besides having one of the finest collections in the world, including online galleries, the museum is committed to making both the museum and its activities accessible to visitors with disabilities. There are visitor centered tours for groups with disabilities, monthly programs for individuals with memory loss or dementia, a monthly program for children 8-12 with Autism Specturm Disorder, tactile exploration of selected sculpture and furniture for blind or low vision, and a monthly tour in ASL. Organization provides technical assistance to artists with disabilities, performing arts organizations, art centers, universities and colleges, disability specific groups and arts administrators. The website features a California artists with disabilities directory and grant opportunities. This studio provides the opportunity for individuals with disabilities to paint, build sculpture, mold clay or work with textiles. Artwork is exhibited in galleries. Skilled professionals who are accomplished artists mentor the students and involve them in the community by visiting local galleries, studios and museums. VSA (The International Organization on Arts and Disability) Founded by Jean Kennedy Smith as an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, VSA is an International organization that provides arts and education opportunities for people with disabilities around the world. Click here to find out what may be happening in your state through an affiliate of the VSA.
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