CHECK OUT WHAT’S NEW AND HAPPENING
Open Door Gallery Exhibit – Visions of Avalon
This multi media installation is a group effort involving artists from all 5 locations of the Seven Hills Foundation’s ASPiRE! Programs. The participants have made repeated trips to the Worcester Art Museum during the Knights! exhibit following the acquisition of…
Lauren Geraghty, Open Door Gallery Exhibitor and Committee Member, Has Passed Away
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our friend and colleague Lauren Geraghty. Lauren shared her remarkable artwork at the Open Door Gallery on several occasions and served as a member of the gallery committee. …
Charles Washburn Announces His Retirement and Successor
When Maida Abrams, founder of VSA Massachusetts, approached me about joining her team over thirty years ago, I thought I would help her build her organization for a while and then move on. I really had no idea that I…
VSA Mass. Announces Mia Branco as COOL Schools Program Manager
After spending a year working as an intern with Aysha, Nicole, Charlie, Jon, and COOL School’s many wonderful Teaching Artists, it was a no-brainer for us to offer Mia Branco the position of COOL Program Manager, starting September 1, 2017.…
Marian Taylor Brown Joins VSA Mass. as Organizational Consultant
Marian Taylor Brown; a recognized arts leader and innovator in greater Boston, is joining VSA Massachusetts as an organizational consultant. Marian will support the team during leadership transitions as Charlie Washburn retires, and Nicole Agois assumes the position of Managing…
"Disability Issues" Publishes "VSA MA’s COOL Schools Program" by Nicole Agois Hurel
Ever think about what role the arts can play in supporting learning and inclusion? Recently, a third grader named Shantel told us all about how she experienced this while learning how to make a clock. A teaching artist had worked…
Call for Art – "Breaking Barriers" hosted by Mass. Office on Disability
The Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD) is now accepting submissions for its 2017 Call for Art and juried art exhibition. We are calling on talented Massachusetts residents of all abilities to submit their original artwork. Selected entries will be displayed…
Fashion Accessibility Project
2015 marked the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This milestone sparked a conversation with members with disabilities that explored what has changed in the past 25 years. The sentiment was that persons with disabilities remain virtually…
2017 VSA Intersections: Arts and Special Education Conference
Are you invested in equitable access to art-based and arts-integrated instruction for students with disabilities? If so, this conference is a must for you. VSA Intersections convenes all involved in this venture: general and special educators, arts specialists, teaching artists,…
Employee of the Quarter – Teaching Artist Jodi Schmidt
Jodi is a delightful recent addition to the COOL Schools family. She embodies the essence of what makes COOL Schools successful: she is a strong collaborator and endeavors to teach and inspire ALL students. When asked how her COOL Schools…
VSA Help Wanted: Part-Time Teaching Artist at Charlestown High School
Job Description VSA Massachusetts is seeking a passionate and experienced teaching artist (TA) or arts educator for a part-time, five-day-a-week position teaching students with disabilities at Charlestown High School (CHS) for the Fall 2017 semester (with a strong possibility to…
Meet the Teaching Artist – Haley Roth
I am a performing artist, yoga teacher, and educational innovator. Over the past ten years, I have combined my two passions (the arts and mindful practices) to encourage identity exploration, positive self-expression, and deep engagement with creative process. In 2012…