The Kennedy Center’s 2016 Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) Conference

 

The Office of VSA and Accessibility at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presented the 2016 Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) Conference livestreamed select sessions on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Wednesday 3 August and Saturday 6 August from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In its 16th year, LEAD is an international network of arts professionals focused on making the cultural arts accessible to people with disabilities of all ages. 

Follow @AccessLEAD, @HowlRoundTV, and share your thoughts using #KCLEAD and #howlround.

 

Livestream Schedule for Wednesday 3 August:
Download the live caption text or text with timestamps.

A Call to Action with Jess Thom
10 a.m.-10:45 a.m. EDT (Washington, DC) / 9 a.m.-9:45 a.m. CDT (Chicago) / 8 a.m.-8:45 a.m. MDT (Denver) / 7 a.m.-7:45 a.m. PDT (San Francisco) / 14:00-14:45 GMT / 3 p.m.-3:45 p.m. BST (London)

Jess Thom is co-founder of Touretteshero and may or may not lead a secret double life as a superhero. Artist, activist, writer, and performer, she shares her message of inclusivity with audiences around the world.

She has had tics since she was a child but wasn’t diagnosed with Tourettes until she was in her 20s. With encouragement from her friends, she decided to turn her tics into a source of imaginative creativity and the Touretteshero project was born.

 

 

Updates from the National Endowment for the Arts and State Arts Agencies: Funding opportunities and resources for accessibility
1:20 p.m.-2:35 p.m. EDT (Washington, DC) / 12:20 p.m.-1:35 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 11:20 a.m.–12:35 p.m. MDT (Denver) / 10:20 a.m.-11:35 a.m. PDT (San Francisco) / 17:20-18:35 GMT / 6:20 p.m.-7:35 p.m. BST (London)

State and federal arts agencies have long been supporters of accessible and inclusive cultural programming through funding and technical assistance. This workshop will highlight the work of the National Endowment for the Arts and state arts agencies to support accessibility and inclusive programming. You will learn about a) the types of accessibility projects that are being funded across the country, b) examples and best practices from funded projects to help you with your own program development and grant applications, and c) ways to get creative in making your own project ideas more inclusive and accessible.

Beth Bienvenu, Director, Office of Accessibility and Lauren Tuzzolino, Accessibility Specialist, National Endowment for the Arts
Amy Gabrielle, Deputy Director for Administration, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Anne Mulgrave, Manager of Grants and Accessibility, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
Allison Ballard, Director, Jesters Program, University of Saint Francis

 

 

Basics: Planning for Accessibility
2:55 p.m.-4:10 p.m. EDT (Washington, DC) / 1:55 p.m.-3:10 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 12:55 p.m.-2:10 p.m. MDT (Denver, CO) / 11:55 a.m.–1:10 p.m. PDT (San Francisco) / 18:55-20:10 GMT / 7:55 p.m.-9:10 p.m. BST (London) 

If you are starting an access program but are unsure of where to begin, this is the session for you! Presenters will take you step-by-step through the process of developing an access plan and provide you with tools to assess what you do and don’t have, methods for developing sound policies, and ways to get buy-in from the disability community and your colleagues.

Robin Jones, Great Lakes ADA Center

 

 

 

Livestream Schedule for Saturday 6 August:
Download the live caption text or text with timestamps.

INNOVATION: Accommodating Artists with Disabilities

This multidisciplinary workshop (theatre, visual art, and dance) will address both the artistic and practical concerns of small-, mid-, and mega-sized arts organizations incorporating artists with disabilities in their work and share skills to work effectively with artists with disabilities.

Christine Bruno and David Harrell of the Inclusion in the Arts will facilitate interviews with artists and the people from arts organizations who collaborate with them to share lessons learned, barriers faced, and how to overcome those barriers. The day will end with a final full group discussion pulling together themes of the day and suggestions for future work.

This event is hosted by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council in partnership with Inclusion in the Arts, City Theatre, and the Kennedy Center's Office of VSA & Accessibility.

Context for the day, Performance by actor David Harrell, and Interview with Regan Linton, member of Oregon Shakespeare Festival's 2015 company and Julie Simon, OSF Access Coordinator.
9:30 a.m.-11:15 a.m. EDT (Washington, DC) / 8:30 a.m.-10:15 a.m. CDT (Chicago) / 13:30-15:15 GMT / 2:30 p.m.-4:15 p.m. BST (London)

 

 

 

Interview with Reveca Torres about her experiences as a Creative Access Fellow at the Vermont Studio Center and Ryan Walsh, Director of Development at Vermont Studio Center.
11:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m. EDT (Washington, DC) / 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. CDT (Chicago) / 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. MDT (Denver) / 8:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m. PDT (Los Angeles) / 15:30-16:30 GMT / 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. BST (London)

 

 

DJ Kurs, artistic director of Deaf West, interviewed by Beth Bienvenu, Accessibility Director of the National Endowment for the Arts. Beth and DJ will explore his experiences on Broadway and beyond.
1 p.m.-2 p.m. EDT (Washington, DC) / 12 p.m.-1 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 11 a.m.-12 p.m. MDT (Denver) / 10 a.m.-11 a.m. PDT (Los Angeles) / 17:00-18:00 GMT / 6 p.m.-7 p.m. BST (London)  

 

 

Interview with Barak adè Soleil, a dancer who explores the intersection between race and disability, with Esther Grimm, Executive Director of 3Arts in Chicago. The two will discuss 3Arts’ full-month residencies focused on disability culture.
2:15 p.m.-3:15 p.m. EDT (Washington, DC) / 1:15 p.m.-2:15 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 12:15 p.m.-1:15 p.m. MDT (Denver) / 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles) / 18:15-19:15 GMT / 7:15 p.m.-8:15 p.m. BST (London)

 

 

Interview with artists and staff from Bricolage Production Company exploring their experiences with creating immersive theatre by and for people with disabilities and a final wrap-up of themes and opportunities for action facilitated by Christine Bruno, David Harrell, and Beth Bienvenu.
3:30 p.m.-5:15 p.m. EDT (Washington, DC) / 2:30 p.m.-4:15 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 1:30 p.m.-3:15 p.m. MDT (Denver) / 12:30 p.m.-2:15 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles) / 19:30-21:15 GMT / 8:30 p.m.-10:15 p.m. BST (London)

 

 

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