Advocacy

More than 70% of people with disabilities are not in the labor force, and those who wish to pursue a career in the arts face difficult challenges.  On July 22-24, 2009, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presented a National Summit on Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities.  The first such gathering since 1998, this National Summit was initiated to review progress over the past decade concerning education, arts training, and job opportunities for people with disabilities who are pursuing arts careers; and develop recommendations and best practices for advancing arts careers for people with disabilities.  Other federal agencies participating included the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.

ACTA’s Executive Director Amy Kitchener was invited to participate at the National Summit, to make a presentation about her experiences in working with traditional artists who are unintentionally prevented from participating as grantees and recipients of cash awards due to their government assistance requirements limiting income.