AAAWD Helps VSA Minnesota Create Disability Mural Projects in the Twin Cities and St. Cloud

In 2013, AAAWD co-founder, Bridget Riversmith served as a consultant to VSA Minnesota - The State Organization on Arts and Disabilities to help them create the Minnesota Disability Mural Project. Learn more and see more photos at their website: http://vsamn.org/community/special-projects/

Disability Mural Project Duluth: All Together Now!

We hope you will join us for "The Disability Mural Project Duluth: All Together Now," a one-day exhibit of over 300 - 12” square wooden tiles individually designed by people whose lives have intersected with disability in the Duluth area. The primary goals of this project are to recognize the important contributions of people with disabilities, to raise awareness of the need to invest in universal design in our public spaces and homes, and promote inclusiveness for all. This event is free and open to the public.

 

When: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 from 2:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Where: The DECC, Lake Superior Ballroom (Cityside Convention Center, 2nd floor), 350 Harbor Drive, Duluth, MN

 
Featured Speakers: 

2:30 pm: Frances Valesco, Director of the Disability Mural Project in Berkeley, CA
2:50 pm: Craig Dunn, Executive Director of VSA Minnesota
3:05 pm: Roberta Cich, Director of AccessNorth - CILNM
3:10 pm: Bridget Riversmith, AAAWD co-founder/Disability Mural Project Duluth coordinator
3:15 pm: City of Duluth Mayor Don Ness

5 - 5:30 pm: Poetry Readings featuring artists from AAAWD

5:30 - 6 pm: Performances featuring artists from CHOICE, unlimited ARTS Program

Accessibility Information:

 

Audio Description of the Disability Mural will be provided from 6 - 8 pm for this event.
 





 

ASL Interpreter services for speakers and performers from 2:30 - 6 pm for this event.

Press Conference with Mayor Ness on October 5 at Duluth City Hall

Duluth Mayor, Area Artists Announce Disability Mural Project Exhibit - First of Its Kind in Midwest

What: The Arrowhead Alliance of Artists With Disabilities (AAAWD) will stage a press conference to announce the upcoming October 19 exhibit at the DECC of the Disability Mural Project Duluth in celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. AAAWD's project partners, including Duluth Mayor Don Ness, will share a brief overview of this local initiative and how it's raising awareness of our community's increasing need for universal design in order to draw upon the strengths and abilities of all its citizens. Mayor Ness will deliver a proclamation for Disability Employment Awareness Month.

When: Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011 - 11:00 a.m. press conference

Where: Mayor's Conference Room (4th floor), City Hall, 411 W 1st St., Duluth - on-street metered parking

Who: Mayor Don Ness; Bridget Riversmith, Co-founder/Leader AAAWD and Coordinator Disability Mural Project Duluth; Roberta Cich, Director AccessNorth Center for Independent Living of Northeastern Minnesota; Sara Junge, Chairperson Duluth Commission on Disabilities; Bob Grytdahl, Human Rights Officer City of Duluth; and Xavier Bell, Director of Community Engagement Community Action Duluth.

Why: Duluth is the first city in the Midwest to participate in the international Disability Mural Project based in Berkeley, CA. We're also poised to become the first city to create our own permanent installation of the Disability Mural beyond Berkeley. Our Duluth project has not only produced over 320 - 12” square mural tiles, but also made visible as many personal stories of people with disabilities in our community. This sampling, though significant, is still quite small. For in the next decade, with returning veterans and nearly as many people in Minnesota turning age 65 as in the previous four decades combined, disability rates are expected to increase rapidly. This is why we must invest in universal design now, and the Disability Mural Project Duluth is a clarion call for this mutually beneficial innovation.

Opportunity to participate: If you created a tile for the Disability Mural Project, please RSVP if you'd like to participate in this press conference. Contact us at aaawdmail (at) gmail (dot) com by Monday, Oct. 3 to be included! Mural artists will be present holding their tiles in a silent tableau during the press conference, and, if they wish, can field questions from the media.

Over 300 New Mural Tiles Created Since Our Workshops Began on May 31, 2011!

AAAWD recently wrapped up phase one of our project! We facilitated 24 Mural tile workshops in 3 cities (Duluth, Cloquet, Two Harbors) in collaboration with 19 area partners including high schools, UMD, businesses, agencies and community groups (see blog side panel for complete list).

Thanks to everyone who participated in creating over 300 tiles for the upcoming October 19 exhibit of the Disability Mural Project Duluth at the DECC. Hope to see you all there!

Tile Workshop on July 27 at UDAC's Art Junction (for clients only)

AAAWD is facilitating a second free Disability Mural Project Duluth Tile Workshop for participants of the Art Junction program at UDAC (see details below). Thanks to Art Junction for inviting us back to hold another workshop!

Who: Participants of Art Junction (not open to the public)
When: Wednesday, July 27 from 10 am -2 pm
What: Painting and collaging 12" sq. masonite tiles
Where: UDAC, Art Junction studio, 500 E. 10th St., Duluth

Find more information about Art Junction here: http://udac.org/services/artjunction.htm

Free Public Tile Workshop August 9 at Peace Church

AAAWD is facilitating Disability Mural Project Duluth Tile Workshops for the public at Peace Church UCC  in Duluth (see details below). These workshops are free and open to the public. Thanks to Peace Church UCC and Assoc. Pastor, Paul Van Antwerp for sponsoring and helping us organize this event!


Sign up for the workshop, or ask questions by emailing us at: aaawdmail@gmail.com, or call Peace Church @ (218) 724-3637.


When: Saturday, August 9 from 4 - 8 pm
What: painting and collaging on 12" sq. masonite tiles
Where: Peace Church UCC (click for map), 1111 North 11th Ave E in Duluth
Bus info: 2 blocks off both DTA routes 11 & 12.
Parking: On and off-street available.
Accessibility: Peace Church is wheelchair-accessible. Please attend fragrance free.


Important things to bring with you:

* Please bring or wear protective clothing, as some materials will stain clothing.

* If you'd like to make a collage: please bring xerox or laser print copies (not inkjet prints - they fade) of family photos, snapshots of your favorite things, and your own
original drawings or poems. Note: be sure to make copies of any items you wish to keep. Anything applied to the tiles becomes part of the Mural project and is non-returnable.

More information about Peace Church UCC is available here:
http://www.peaceucc.org/

Free Public Tile Workshop Aug. 4 and 11 at Lincoln Park Community Senior Center

AAAWD is facilitating Disability Mural Project Duluth Tile Workshops for the public at Lincoln Park Community Senior Center in Duluth (see details below). These workshops are free and open to the public.  Thanks to CHOICE, unlimited for sponsoring and helping us organize this event!
   
Sign up for these workshops, or ask questions by emailing us at: aaawdmail@gmail.com, or call CHOICE, unlimited @ (218) 724-5869.

When: Thursday, August 4 and 11 from 9:30 am - Noon
What: painting and collaging on 12" sq. masonite tiles
Where: Lincoln Park Community Senior Center (click for map), 2014 W 3rd St, Duluth
Bus info: 1 block from DTA routes 1, 2, 3 & 5.
Parking: off-street in lot, and on-street available.
Accessibility: Wheelchair-accessible. Please attend fragrance free.

Important things to bring with you:

* Please bring or wear protective clothing, as some materials will stain clothing.

* If you'd like to make a collage: please bring xerox or laser print copies (not inkjet prints - they fade) of family photos, snapshots of your favorite things, and your own original drawings or poems. Note: be sure to make copies of any items you wish to keep. Anything applied to the tiles becomes part of the Mural project and is non-returnable.


More information about CHOICE, unlimited is available here:
http://www.choiceunlimited.org/