Operating Support
Operating Support
The mission of VSA Minnesota is to create a community where people with disabilities can learn through, participate in, and access the arts.
Ardell Brede: Mayor of Rochester, elected 2002.; Peggy Burnet: Businesswoman, art collector, and community volunteer. Member of the Smithsonian National Board. Former chair of the board, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Uri Camarena: Business consultant, Metropolitan Economic Development Association. Board chair, Minneapolis College of Art and Design.; Michael Charron: Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Officer-at-large, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Rebecca Davis-Lee: Touring pianist, piano and music theory teacher. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Sean Dowse, Mayor of Red Wing, elected 2016. Former executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. Secretary/Treasurer, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Thomas Moss: Consultant to nonprofits and government agencies.; Janice Sivertson: Gallery owner and visual artist; Dobson West: Senior advisor, Spell Capital Partners Fund; Christina Widdess: Arts organization consultant; former managing director, Penumbra Theatre. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.
Michael Arturi: Universal Music Center founder and executive director; Dorothy Belstler: Executive director, Twin Cities Pride; Amy Braford Whittey: Business developer for the arts for HGA; Cheryl Kessler: Founder and principal evaluator, Blue Scarf Consulting, LLC; Colleen LeBlanc: Retired community educator; former Five Wings Regional Arts Council board member; William Miller: History professor at the College of Saint Scholastica, former MSAB board member; Jessica O'Brien: Community engagement manager, Region Nine Development Commission; Elizabeth Jane Olive: Retired nurse and transplant coordinator; community volunteer; costumer; Christi Schmitt: Program coordinator, Saint Paul Public Schools office of multilingual learning; Alexis Walstad, Co-executive director, Karen Organization of Minnesota
ACHF Arts Access
Minnesotans with disabilities of all ages will use VSA Minnesota programs, services and resources to actively engage the arts in their communities. We will document attendance at all performances, workshops, residencies and exhibits that we conduct. Evaluations will be conducted for each of these experiences based on specific program outcomes. 2: Arts administrators around the state will use VSA Minnesota accessibility resources to improve their outreach and service to people with disabilities. We will document all phone, email and face-to-face inquiries (meetings, conversations) from arts organizations about access to people with disabilities. All resulting actions will also be documented.
Minnesotans with disabilities participated in school arts programs, attended arts programs with accommodations and shared their art with the public. VSA Minnesota tracks participation by people with disabilities at school residencies, workshops, artist meetings, exhibits and through its grant program. It also tracks individual inquiries via phone and email regarding its services. 2: State arts administrators improved their organization's accommodations for and outreach to people with disabilities through VSA Minnesota resources and services. The funding, accessibility services and advice provided by VSA Minnesota staff are evaluated for effectiveness based on final reports and follow-up conversations with staff at the various recipient organizations.
Other, local or private