THINGS ARE HAPPENING, FOLKS!
June, 1998, a first-of-it's-kind gathering happened: a National Forum on Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities.
This was the result of years of work of people from five agencies* and a
planning committee of artists with disabilities.
Attendees at the 3-day Forum identified obstacles to people with
disabilities in pursuing art careers and made recommendations for eliminating
those obstacles. Approximately 300
people attended and others gave input through the internet.
As one of the original planning committee members, I have been involved
in the Forum follow-up; in December 1999, I spent one week of intensity in
Washington, DC. Things are
happening, Folks!
The most frequent recommendation heard at the Forum was the
need to remove Social Security work disincentives for artists on benefits.
The first meeting I attended this past week was held in the Senate Building;
it was to discuss these disincentive issues with legislators and Social Security
Administration (SSA) personnel. There were heavy hitters at the all day session,
especially from SSA and the disability scene.
I feel confident changes will happen due to this interaction, though
slowly. I am especially delighted
that many non-artist activists within the disability community will now have
issues of the artists in their field of vision.
[UPDATE NOTE: As of January, 2001, SSA has made available an easy-to-understand
information sheet spotlighting SSI as it applies to artists, called SPOTLIGHT
ON ARTISTS. Call them for a copy. ]
Another Forum recommendation was that Summits be convened
to consider how to carry out the recommendations. During the past few weeks, 3 Summits were held at the Kennedy
Center for the Performing Arts. Betty
Siegel (Kennedy Center) and I co-facilitated the Summit on Art Administration
(i.e. State Arts Councils, art service organizations). The other 2 Summits were on Education and Rehabilitation. [On-line,
you can keep informed on developments by visiting the Forum website: http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/forum/
and/or by joining the ArtsForum Listserv (go to the website
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/forum/listserv to join). If you are not on-line,
you can contact Kennedy Center Access Program (202) 416-8727 (voice) or (202)
416-8728 (TTY).]
However, against this backdrop of forward movement, I found
signs everywhere in D.C. that people with disabilities (PWDs) are still not
being represented as subjects of art or as artists.
Most places that I visited as a tourist had at least a medium level of
access for spectators with disabilities, but PWDs are still almost completely
invisible in art itself, except for an occasional occurrence as bizarre
subjects.
I saw a delightful exhibit at the Hirschhorn Museum called
"Regarding Beauty," a mix of older and contemporary works.
The only "disability" representation that I saw was black and
white photos of people of atypical body types; the description said that the
artist liked to use grotesque models for subjects.
A collection of videos accompanied the show and one of them was entitled
"Sketch for 'Monster'" -- a 7 1/2 minute work that showed a man as he
applied scotch tape to his face to pull it into different shapes.
My favorite art experience was a photo exhibit by Annie
Leibovitz at the Corcoran Gallery showing the enormous diversity of women in our
country. Yet, no women with obvious
disabilities appeared among the coal miners, the high society women, the
homeless, the athletes….
A White House tour went through rooms with beautifully
decorated holiday trees. One tree
reflected the history of our country with dolls made by artists, depicting many
of the people and events that make up our American heritage.
It's possible I missed it, as we were rushed along, but I did not see 504
or the ADA represented, or Roosevelt with crutches or in a wheelchair.
One can hope that the signing of the Work Incentives Improvement Act will
inspire a decoration for the American tree.
One of my homework tasks from the Summit is to encourage
artists with disabilities to JOIN organizations, to start becoming visible --
to serve on selection panels, grant panels and boards of directors of mainstream
art groups. While changes are being
made at the top, we need the people to start moving into the art community camps.
Get involved not only with the disability organizations, but also the
mainstream art organizations that represent your discipline.
Every year I join Film Arts Foundation and Theater Bay Area and attend
their meetings and events. I go
to their office and study their bulletin boards….I want them to see and hear
me. I also join CDT (Corporation on Disabilities and Telecommunication)
and national organizations serving performers and media folk with disabilities.
(Yes, the dues add up, but they are well worth it and are tax deductible
if you file as Self-employed.) Consider
this the year to join or apply to serve on a panel/board of a mainstream art
organization - The Year to Bust Through the Doors!
Your correspondent from the (corn)field,
Pamela Walker
------------------------------------------
For info on organizations above, visit the NADC website http://nadc.ucla.edu/
or call them at: PHONE: (310) 794-1141, TTY: (310)
267-2356
------------------------------------------
*The five agencies that funded the Forum and follow-up
work:
National Endowment for the Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
United States Department of Education
United States Department of Health and Human Services
Social Security Administration