The Accessing the Artist Within project is an effort to raise awareness of how assistive technologies can empower children and teens with disabilities to express themselves through art.

Download an application | View the art submissions

Goals of the Program

1. Show how current technologies can give children access to express themselves through the arts.
2. Provide children with disabilities a venue to showcase their abilities.
3. Create avenues that will help encourage and inspire children with disabilities to express themselves through the arts.
4. Provide information, education, and inspiration to other children so they can express themselves through art.
5. Network artists and practitioners to support and share best practices in the field.
6. Provide an educational component so the efforts can be replicated and expanded.

Submissions

• Paintings
• Drawings
• Photography
• Digital art
• Video
• Film
• Musical Composition

Along with each submission applicants are asked to provide a story or video with their art. This biographical piece should describe how they created the art, what assistive devices were used, and how assistive technologies have empowered the applicant to express theirselves through art.

Requirements

Age 5 - 21
Each artist must use some type of assistive technology to create his/her work of art.

Project Application

Applicants will submit an application to the project. This will be accompanied by:

1. A digital copy of the art.
2. A video or Word document (with photos, if applicable) telling their story. This should include a description of assistive technologies used, as well as an explanation on how assistive technologies empowered them to express themselves through art.
3. Signed application form from artist and caregiver (if applicable).

Acceptance

1. Once accepted, the art will be showcased on the Accessing the Artist Project web site.
2. The web site will include the art as well as the story behind the creation of the art.

Art Show

1. A minimum of ten art pieces will be selected to be displayed at the Closing the Gap Conference held in Minneapolis, Minn., on October 15-17, 2009.
2. If selected, the artists will submit their original art to be displayed during the conference.
3. For artists who choose to attend the conference, an artists’ reception will be held on Friday night, October 16. The reception will provide an opportunity for conference attendees, as well as the general public, to meet and learn from the artists.