ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES ACCESS PROGRAM

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES

Artists provide the imagination and creativity that fuels cultural vitality in small and large communities throughout Ohio. Developing an artistic career is a long-term process that requires various types of assistance at different times. The OAC recognizes that artists with disabilities often face unique challenges to advancing their artistic practice. The Artists with Disabilities Access Program (ADAP) provides funding that gives artists with disabilities the resources they need to further their artistic development. The OAC believes the creative expression of artists of all abilities is essential to building vibrant, dynamic communities throughout Ohio.

Application Deadline: Rolling deadline beginning June 1 until all funds are allocated

• What the Program Supports
• Who May Apply
• How to Apply
• Review Criteria

WHAT THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS

ADAP provides support to individual artists with disabilities, allowing them to engage in activities that will help them advance their artistic practice, further their career, or move to a higher level of artistic development. Funds are available for a variety of activities, materials and services.

Allowable Expenses
OAC funds may be used for a variety of expenses. Artists often choose to dedicate funds to: attend or present at a conference; attend a class or workshop; participate in a mentorship with another artist or arts organization; rent studio space or art equipment; undertake a planning process with a consultant or agent to develop business skills; purchase art supplies or equipment (e.g., framing, photographic supplies, cameras, CDs, etc.); pay for professional services (e.g., an assistant, marketing, resume writing); or travel. Please refer to the Funding Restrictions section below for a list of applicant restrictions.

Grant Awards
Applicants may request up to $500. A match is not required.

WHO MAY APPLY

Creative and performing artists who have a disability and are residents of Ohio may apply to this program. The OAC uses the definition of disability contained in Sec. 12102 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-325), which became effective on January 1, 2009. This act is available online at http://www.ada.gov/pubs/ada.htm.

Eligibility Requirements
All applicants must:

• Be an Ohio resident. The OAC defines an Ohio resident as someone who lives and works in Ohio at least eight months of the year.
• Remain in Ohio during the grant period.

Funding Restrictions
Applicants may not:

• Be a student enrolled in any degree- or certificate-granting program.
• Request funds for equipment or supplies not related to the production or presentation of creative work.
• Receive more than one grant in a fiscal year.
• Receive more than two grants in any three fiscal years.

HOW TO APPLY

The OAC provides services to artists with disabilities through ADAP jointly with VSA Ohio, the state organization on arts and disability. Artists who are interested in applying to ADAP are encouraged to first contact VSA Ohio to begin the application process. Artists may also contact the appropriate OAC regional coordinator with questions about how to apply.

Applications may be submitted throughout the year. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis as long as funds are available, beginning with the start of the fiscal year (July 1). Applicants should be aware that the application review process may take up to eight weeks, so grant activities should start no earlier than eight weeks after the application is submitted.

Support Materials
To complete an application for this program, all applicants must submit one complete set of support materials to VSA Ohio along with work samples. Applications that do not include support materials will not be accepted.

Required Support Materials
• Artist resume or professional biography
• Work samples from the applying artist (DVDs, VHS tapes, audio cassettes, audio CDs, CD-Rs, color slides or photographs) demonstrating artistic quality and technical ability
• Materials from proposed class, conference or workshop (if applicable)
• Resume of proposed teacher, consultant or assistant (if applicable)

Optional Support Materials
• At least one letter of support for the artist from someone who is knowledgeable of the artist and his or her work
• Publicity samples: if the artist has print pieces publicizing his or her work (e.g., brochures, newspaper or magazine articles, exhibition catalogs, programs, etc.), these items may also be submitted.

Timeline
The timeline below presents a general outline of the grant application process for ADAP.

Evaluation and Scoring
Applications will be reviewed by an in-house panel of OAC staff members. These reviews are not open to the public; however, an OAC regional coordinator will share panel comments about an application review if requested. Each application will be scored based on how well it meets the review criteria. Following the review, this score will be used to calculate the funding award recommendation, which will be presented to the OAC executive director and deputy director for their review and approval. Funding recommendations must be approved by the OAC board, the only body authorized to make final funding decisions. Please remember that the review process is competitive; not all applications are funded.

Review Criteria

Applicants will be scored based on how well their application meets the criteria in the following evaluation categories: 1) Artistic/Educational/Cultural Value; 2) Community Participation and Accessibility; 3) Planning; and 4) Financial Management.

Evaluation Criteria

Artistic/Educational/Cultural Value
The highest score for this category is 10 points.

• Applicant demonstrates competency in his or her art form;
• Applicant shows commitment to advancing his or her knowledge of the art form.

Community Participation and Accessibility
The highest score for this category is 10 points.

• Applicant shares art form with general community (e.g., teaches classes, sells works or appears at community events);
• Applicant breaks barriers to participation for artists with disabilities.

Planning
The highest score for this category is 10 points.

• Applicant has established a logical and feasible plan for artistic activity;
• Applicant's plan will serve to advance his or her artistic career.

Financial Management
The highest score for this category is 10 points.

• Application budget is complete and realistic;
• Application budget supports applicant's goals for activity.