ABOUT US

About Us

The mission of VSA arts of Louisiana, Inc. is to expand the capabilities, confidence and quality of life for persons with disabilities through arts programming. The organization provides opportunities for year-round quality programs that strengthen the role of the arts in school curricula. Through cooperation with state arts and education agencies, the programs have successfully brought meaningful and structured arts instruction into the total educational experience of thousands of exceptional and disabled students in local educational agencies, parochial and special schools.

VSA arts Louisiana is a quasi state 501-c(3) non-profit organization composed of parents, volunteers, civic groups, and representatives of business, industry, arts, medicine, education, law and government. Their common bond is an intense interest and knowledge in arts education for the disabled. Working behind the scenes and in the forefront, this group enhances the efforts of VSA arts of Louisiana.

The Board of Directors assists parish schools and special schools with their participation in VSA arts programs, co-sponsored by the Department of Education and VSA arts Headquarters. These programs give exceptional and disabled children the opportunity to develop, expand, and share talents and accomplishments in the arts (dance, drama, music and visual arts) with peers and parents in their communities.

Goals of the VSA Board of Directors:

Conduct extensive public awareness programs;
Provide additional artists-in-residencies;
Expand the VSA arts of Louisiana Program through fundraising efforts.
Through quality, year-round art programs, participants gain self-confidence, interrelate with peers and friends, feel success and accomplishment, and learn about the world around them and their place in it.

Since 1977, the major emphasis has been to encourage the development and implementation of appropriate arts programs for all exceptional and disabled children in Louisiana. The goal of VSA art Louisiana is to provide opportunities for year-round quality arts programs for exceptional and disabled children and strengthen the role of the arts in school curricula. Visual arts, music, dance / movement, literary and performing arts are included in these programs, providing meaningful and creative experiences to all exceptional and disabled children as a part of their total educational experiences. To achieve this goal, the staff has planned and implemented various exemplary programs for the past twenty-three years. One such example is the New Visions Dance Project. The Project enabled 60 students from the Louisiana School for the Deaf, St. Landry Parish, Livingston Parish, and East Baton Rouge Parish to participate in creative movement and dance classes for five years. The classes provided participants with the opportunity to increase physical strength, self-esteem,and self-discipline.

Nations worldwide are affiliated with VSA Arts International programs. Established in 1984, festivals in countries as diverse as Jamaica, Panama, Italy, France, have featured the artistic achievements of individuals with disabilities. VSA arts also sponsors a variety of special projects that research, develop, and document new initiatives for replication by VSA arts Programs.

VSA arts strives to form partnerships with parents and primary caretakers, supporting them in their role and actively involving them in their child's educational program. The arts can be infused throughout the curriculum, and when properly administered, provide exceptional activities, both at home and school. The arts can serve as a vehicle by which students learn how to express themselves and how to communicate with others. Finally, the arts have value and significance in daily life as they provide personal fulfillment in vocational as well as recreation and social settings.