VSA arts of Brevard

Programs

Playwright Discovery Program.  "Pen Power" is a playwriting contest for high school students challenging them to take a closer look at the world around them, examine how disability effects their lives and the lives of others, and express their views through the art of playwriting. For guidelines and entry forms click here. For a teacher's guide, please go to www.vsarts.org , click on Resources, then look under For Educators and Parents. Congratulations to Alyssa Dacri, Satellite High School, winner of the Brevard County 2010 competition for her play entitled, "A Monster's Tale." Second place winner was Maya Jordan, Johnson Middle School, for her play entitled, "A Blind Beauty." Third place winner was Taylor Thelander, Johnson Middle School, for her play entitled, "Coming Home." Each play was presented as a Staged Reading in the King Center Studio Theatre by Satellite High School drama students under the direction of Hank Rion. Joan Taddie served as the Playwriting Consultant to the project.

Teacher In-service Training.  Typically, two teacher in-service training sessions are held annually.

Arts for All Lending Program.  Special Arts for All equipment is available to schools and other organizations wanting to bring art to the physically disabled.. 

Arts for All Lending Library             Equipment Request Forms  

Artists in Residence.  Two artists will visit each of the participating sites with special needs populations for an hour long training session in the arts.  Information will be sent to registered VSA arts teachers.  

Holiday Card Contest.  This program encourages special needs children in the Brevard County school system to create drawings and paintings with a holiday theme. The submissions are judged by our sponsor, (the law offices of Molettiere and Torpy, PA), and awards made. The winning work is used by our sponsor as the cover of their corporate holiday greeting card. All of the participants receive a certificate of accomplishment. For entry forms and contest related documents, please click here.

National Programs. Two national programs, Express Diversity and Start with the Arts.   Express Diversity and Start with the Arts offer educational resources to teacher's and caregivers. Local training is available. For more information, or to request the training, contact Janice Kershaw at:

VSA arts of Florida-Brevard
1435 Aurora Rd. Melbourne, FL 32935
Phone: (321) 752-2740 ext. 5208
Fax: (321) 259-3670
Email: jkershaw@bacbrevard.com

Touring Art.  Selected works created for the Festival are displayed at various public venues.  This helps showcase the talents of the special needs population for the general public. Calendar Click-Here.

Performing Arts Outreach Programs. Through a partnership with the King Center Educational Theatre Program, VSA helped bring puppetry into exceptional education classrooms of middle and high school students. The teachers first attended a workshop with members of the Wood and String Puppet Theatre. Their students then attended a performance of "Out of the Mist...A Dragon" on the mainstage of the King Center followed by a puppetmaking workshop with members of the company. Working with local puppeteer, Mary Williams, each class wrote and performed their original skits using the puppets that they made. Stay tuned for future VSA/King Center partnerships!