Art Spark Texas

Speaking Advocates: Independence
2019-07-27 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | AGE Building, 3710 Cedar Street, Room 101, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
July is the month we celebrate our nation’s independence. It also marks possibly the most important victory in the history of the Disability Rights Movement: the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For people with disabilities, independence has different meanings. On one hand, it is the ultimate goal; if achieved, it signifies the successful dismantling of the social and political barriers that truly “disable” us. If, on the other hand, independence proves to be a logistical impossibility, we adjust our definition accordingly, and independence becomes something closer to self-determination in which we set the terms for the assistance we require – or in the words of our movement’s slogan, Nothing About Us Without Us. This month we invite you to share your own definition of independence: what does independence look like for you, what are the obstacles that stand in your way to a self-determined life, how do you become independent?
Our Opening Minds, Opening Doors Speaking Advocates group is free and meets the last Saturday of every month from 1-3 PM in Room 101 of the AGE of Central Texas Building. We welcome adults with disabilities who are interested in presenting stories and meeting other speakers. Email Eric Clow to RSVP or learn more.
You can also RSVP, invite friends, and follow our Facebook event page for updates.

Veterans - Journal Making/Writing Class
2019-07-25 13:00 - 17:00, 2019-07-18 13:00 - 17:00 | Help Heal Veterans, 2508 S. 5th St., Temple, TX, 76504, United States
A Journal Making/Writing Class for Current and Prior Service Members
Hosted by Art Spark Texas
Held at Help Heal Veterans
2508 S. 5th St., Temple, TX 76504
Class Schedule: Thursday, July 18th at 1 pm – Make Journals; Thursday, July 25th at 1 pm – Writing in Journals
Instructors: Patricia Alger and Cynthia Linzy
FREE
Register by calling 512-454-9912 or email April Sullivan.
Space is limited. Any experience level welcome.

In this two day class, start by making Journals using handmade paper. Learn the skills to put together your own multi-page journal. Led by Patricia Alger. Then, in the second week, learn how to make the ideas and pictures inside your head come alive on paper by sharpening your use of color and imagery. You will be led through visualization exercises, easy writing prompts, and useful writing examples to create strong writing by careful word choice and many other effective writing techniques. Discover your own writing style in a relaxed, supportive class atmosphere. Led by Cynthia Linzy.

An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network is a partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Aairs and the state and local arts agencies with administrative support provided by Americans for the Arts.

Stand Up for Mental Health
2019-07-22 18:00 - 20:00, 2019-07-15 18:00 - 20:00 | AGE Building, 3710 Cedar Street, Room 101, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Learn stand-up comedy with comic and counselor, David Granirer. Specifically for people with addiction or mental health issues.
Limited spots available!
Suggested donation: $35 Pay online here.
Hosted by Art Spark Texas at 3710 Cedar Street, Austin, TX 78705
Six-week class: Mondays, July 15-Aug 19, 6-8 pm
Showcase: August 25 or 26
To register and for details: outreach@artsparktx.org or 512-454-9912
Deadline to apply: July 5

Veterans - Ink Stick Project Writing Class
2019-07-20 13:00 - 17:00, 2019-07-13 13:00 - 17:00 | Apache Arts & Craft Center, 761st Tank Battalion and 62nd Street, Bldg 2337, Fort Hood, TX, United States
A Writing Class for Current and Prior Service Members
Hosted by Art Spark Texas
Held at Apache Arts & Craft Center
761st Tank Battalion and 62nd Street, Bldg 2337, Fort Hood
Class Schedule: Saturdays, July 13-August 3, 2019 from 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Instructor: Clayton Bradshaw
FREE
Register by calling 512-454-9912 or email April Sullivan.
Space is limited. Any experience level welcome.

This four-week course is designed to help current and prior service members tell their stories. The greatest writers have served in war. From Chaucer to Hemingway and Vonnegut to Tim O’Brien, they have found ways to bring life truths to the masses. This class will give you the tools to write about your experiences or to express the truths you have learned in a life built on service. We will focus on fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Clayton Bradshaw served in the US Army for eight years as an infantryman. He deployed with 3/2 SCR to Iraq from 2007 to 2008 and to Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011. He graduated from Sam Houston State University with a BA in English and currently participates in the MFA Creative Writing program at Texas State University while teaching writing to university freshmen. His work can be found in The Deadly Writers Patrol, r.kv.r.y., Second Hand Stories, War, Literature and the Arts, and O-Dark-Thirty. He is currently writing a novel, Quietus, based on the post-war struggles of the veteran community.

An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, Creative Forces®: NEA Military Healing Arts Network is a partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Aairs and the state and local arts agencies with administrative support provided by Americans for the Arts.

Body Shift Foundations Class
2019-07-15 19:00 - 20:30, 2019-06-17 19:00 - 20:30, 2019-05-20 19:00 - 20:30 | McBeth Recreation Center, 2401 Columbus Dr., Austin, TX, 78746, United States
Do you want to get your body moving, but don’t know where to begin? Are you intimidated by typical dance classes because you feel like you don’t fit in? Body Shift has a solution to bring out the dancer in us all! We offer you Foundations – an improvisational dance class for ALL people – especially designed to be accessible to those with little to no dance/movement experience.
Each class we will explore ideas like developing body awareness, non-verbal communication, understanding of time/rhythm and choice making to support students in the discovery of their own movement language. Students will have the opportunity to awaken their creativity, notice habitual movement patterns in order to expand movement possibilities, and have a lot of fun in the process. We will learn how to allow our bodies to breath and move in ways that feel good to each person in the room without judgement.
People of all unique mental and physical characteristics are invited to participate. Our goal is to offer a class where there are no wrong choices so everyone in the room feels empowered and successful to come and be as they are. Material in this class will be strongly based on the DanceAbility method, an approach to dance for people with and without disabilities. No movement experience necessary to join. Drop in occasionally or join us every month; open ended attendance.
The Foundations class takes place at McBeth Recreation Center (2401 Columbus Dr, Austin, TX 78746) every 3rd Monday of the month from 7:00-8:30pm. Sliding scale/donation based – $5-$20. Adults age 18 and up.
NEW! You can now pay class fees online here.
For more information email Olivia O’Hare or call 512-454-9912.

Call for Art: Governor's Committee Poster Competition
2019-07-15
Submission deadline: July 15, 2019*
Disability Employment Awareness Month is celebrated in Texas every October. The Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities produces a colorful poster for display in businesses, government offices and schools. The posters are intended to spark a conversation about employment of people with disabilities. Artwork for the poster is selected by a submission and judging process and is open to any Texas artist with a disability.
The posters will feature original work from an outstanding Texas artist, along with their picture and personal statement, and the national NDEAM theme. The winning artist will also be featured at GCPD’s annual Lex Frieden Employment Awards Ceremony, and may be acknowledged in a statewide press release. Help spark a conversation!
Original 2D and 3D art in all media are eligible. Visit GCPD’s webpage for submission guidelines and entry forms or email gcpd@gov.texas.gov for more information.
*This is not a Art Spark Texas call for art.

Create Your Story! Writing & Art Workshop for Veterans
2019-07-12 13:00 - 15:00, 2019-07-05 13:00 - 15:00, 2019-06-28 13:00 - 15:00, 2019-06-21 13:00 - 15:00, 2019-06-14 13:00 - 15:00, 2019-06-07 13:00 - 15:00 | Austin VA Outpatient Clinic, 7901 Metropolis Dr., Austin, TX, 78744, United States
Create Your Story! A Writing & Art Workshop for Veterans
Hosted by Art Spark Texas and the Austin VA Outpatient Clinic
Held at the Austin VA Outpatient Clinic, Room 2B-148
Six Week Class: June 7 – July 12, 2019, Fridays 1:00-3:00 pm
Instructor: Elizabeth Decker
FREE! Register by calling 512-454-9912 or email April Sullivan. Space is limited. Any experience level welcome.
Express your story with powerful words and bold colors! Reflect, create and connect to your personal story through freestyle, stream of conscious style writing exercises. Each week you will focus on a different theme and have a piece of writing and a piece of art at the end of each session. Participants will have the option to have their work published with other veteran writers in Summer 2019.
Open to all veterans served by the Austin VA Outpatient Clinic.
Supplies will be provided.
Elizabeth Decker is a celebrated artist, author, poet, teacher, documentary filmmaker, certified Mediator, Clarity Coach at Spellbound Publishing and personal creative story guide. Her work is about helping others remove blocks that hold them back and passionately move forward rediscovering and redefining who they are. Her popular workshops are booked in Austin, LA, and NYC. She has been a guest speaker for the Episcopalian Veterans Fellowship and her illustrated book of prose, The MelancholyGirls, has helped inspire others to create and share their honest story of self. Find more about Elizabeth at www.elizabethdeckerproductions.blogspot.com

The Lion and The Pirate Open Mic
2019-07-07 13:00 - 15:00 | Malvern Books, 613 W. 29th Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Share a story, poem, song, or other talent in a fun and supportive neighborhood bookstore. The open mic is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us at least one week in advance to request other accommodations, including ASL interpreting, audio description, etc.
For more information email Eric Clow or call 512-454-9912.
You can also RSVP, invite friends, and follow our Facebook event page for updates.

Call for Art: LEAD Conference Agenda Cover
2019-06-30
Submission deadline: June 30, 2019*
The Kennedy Center Office of VSA and Accessibility is seeking artwork by artists and designers with disabilities for the cover of the 2019 LEAD® conference agenda book. Artwork should address themes of accessibility and inclusion in the arts. Artists of any age and professional experience are welcome to apply.
One winning artist will receive a prize of $500. Winning artwork will be used for the front and/or back covers for the print and digital programs for the Kennedy Center 2019 Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD®) Conference.
*This is not a Art Spark Texas call for art.

Call for Art: Opulent Mobility 2019
2019-06-30 | Dora Stern Gallery, 544 Freeman St,, City of Orange, NJ, 07050, United States
Submission deadline: June 30, 2019*
Opulent Mobility is accepting artwork that re-imagines disability. Opulent Mobility is accepting 2-D and sculptural artwork, music files, and performances on video/film. The challenge is to imagine a world where mobility, disability, and access are not merely functional, but opulent. This year, OM 2019 will be hosted by Arts Unbound. The physical exhibit will be held at the Dora Stern Gallery in New Jersey.
The deadline for submissions in June 30, 2019 at 5 PM PST. There is a flat $20 entry fee to cover administrative costs. For more information visit Opulent Mobility.
*This is not a Art Spark Texas call for art.

Speaking Advocates: Summer Daze
2019-06-29 13:00 - 15:00 | AGE Building, 3710 Cedar Street, Room 101, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Now that we are in the heat of summer, we want to hear your summertime adventure stories. Anything from childhood summer camp to exciting vacations and more!
Our Opening Minds, Opening Doors Speaking Advocates group is free and meets the last Saturday of every month from 1-3 PM in Room 101 of the AGE of Central Texas Building. We welcome adults with disabilities who are interested in presenting stories and meeting other speakers. Email Eric Clow to RSVP or learn more.
You can also RSVP, invite friends, and follow our Facebook event page for updates.

Call for Art: IOD Calendar
2019-06-28 | Institute on Disability (IOD), 10 West Edge Drive, Suite 101, Durham, NH, 03824, United States
Submission deadline: June 28, 2019*
The University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability (IOD) is currently inviting artists to submit artwork for its 2020 Calendar. For the past 20 years, the IOD has produced beautiful, full-color calendars featuring 13 original works of art coupled with inspirational quotes. This is a wonderful opportunity to share your talent on a global scale. Submit here!

All artwork must be two-dimensional (i.e., drawings, paintings, or photography). Artwork may be created for the purpose of this calendar or may be selected from an existing portfolio of work.
Each artist is welcome to submit a maximum of three (3) works of art for consideration using the form below.
If selected, artists need to agree to the terms of the Artwork Release Form. Unfortunately, we are unable to feature any artwork without the release form. Please be sure you are willing and able to comply with the terms prior to submission.

Selected artists will be contacted no later than August 9, 2019, and will receive five free copies of the calendar and can purchase more at a discount. If you have any questions, please email contact.iod@unh.edu or call 603-862–4320.
*This is not a Art Spark Texas call for art.

Call for Art: Return to the Water
2019-06-21 | Imagine Art, 2830 Real Street, Austin, TX, 78722, United States
Submission deadline: June 21, 2019*
IMAGINE ART SUMMER EXHIBIT CALL FOR ART: RETURN TO THE WATER
Exhibit opening reception on Friday, July 12th 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. and on view through August, 2019
RETURN TO THE WATER captures the essence of water, a multi-purpose marvel. Water cleans, cleanses, nurtures, cools, satiates, satisfies, and renews. Water is compared to living spirit in the Bible. RETURN TO THE WATER encourages artists to ponder the wonders of water and submit artwork reflective of its multi-dimensional gift. Nature scenes (Lakes, Rivers, Streams), Boats, Tones of Blues, Meditations on Ocean Waves, Baptisms for the Soul and Inner Depths, Aquatic Abstractions. Submit your art here!
All interpretations are welcome and will be considered for inclusion in the exhibition. Selected works based on merit, quality, technique, aesthetic, relativity to show theme, and individuality will be curated and placed in gallery for show and potential sale (Note: Imagine Art retains 25% commission on sold pieces).
A complete submission includes finished art piece(s) ready to hang (meaning properly wired for 2-D), a completed submission form, a brief artist bio, and a brief summary of the piece(s). Incomplete submissions will not be accepted.
*This is not a Art Spark Texas call for art.

Body Shift Elements Class
2019-06-08 14:30 - 16:30 | Town Lake YMCA, 1100 W. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
The Elements class takes place every 2nd Saturday of the month from 2:30-4:30pm at the Town Lake YMCA in the large group exercise room on the first floor.
Class will be taught by Amy Morrow.
//Gaga for All//
Join us to experience Gaga/people for the first half of class followed by a Toolbox Session where we will experiment with tools not rules and find each person’s voice inside the movement language.
Amy will guide participants using a series of evocative instructions that build one on top of the other. Rather than copying a particular movement, each participant in the class will actively explore these instructions, discovering how he or she can interpret the information and perform the task at hand. Gaga/people classes offer a creative framework for participants to connect to their bodies and imaginations, increase their physical awareness, improve their flexibility and stamina, and experience the pleasure of movement in a welcoming, accepting atmosphere.
No previous dance experience is needed. Participants should wear comfortable clothes and be prepared to dance barefoot or in socks. It is advisable to bring a bottle of water and a towel for use after class.

Amy Morrow is an Austin-based teacher, choreographer, consultant, & founder of AM Arts. Certified in 2012 by Ohad Naharin in the inaugural teacher training program, Morrow travels internationally offering Gaga & Toolbox workshops as well as Ballet & Indian Dance. In 2015, AM Arts established The Theorists, a collective of artist citizens who collaborate internationally to produce homegrown art. Their dance, film, & music collaborations invited to present in TLV, NY, Delhi, Puebla, Guadalajara, Cuernavaca, México City, DFW, Tulsa, ABQ, Birmingham, Huntsville, Richmond, Detroit, & Houston, and annually in Austin during Theorist Fest. Awards include the 2017 Austin Critic’s Table Award for Best Dancer as well as the Dance Council of North Texas Artful Dance, Austin Emerging Arts Leadership Award, Community Initiatives, CORE, & Capacity Building funding from the Austin Cultural Arts Division to produce programming for collaborators of diverse backgrounds, abilities, & ages. Graduating with a B.F.A. Dance Honors, Morrow’s senior thesis contextualized multi-disciplinary collaborations cross-culturally under the mentorship of Jesse Zaritt.

Elements is an on-going class in which we study dance and movement improvisation as well as somatics. DanceAbility is our foundational method with which we work to ensure inclusion. It is an equal collaboration and learning environment for every ‘body’ regardless of unique physical or mental characteristics. No gym membership is required to attend. Open to adults age 18 and up; all abilities and experience levels. No registration necessary. Fee for class is on a sliding scale from $5-$20, cash or check accepted. You can pay the class fee online here. See you at the Y!
For more information email Olivia O’Hare or call 512-454-9912.

Call for Art: Houston Abilities Expo 2019
2019-06-03 | NRG Center, 8400 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX, 77054, United States
Submission deadline: June 3, 2019*
Abilities Expo has invited Art Spark Texas for the 10th year in a row to host the Artist Market at their event in Houston. Art Spark Texas invites artists with disabilities living in the Houston area to submit a booth proposal for the Artist Market at Abilities Expo 2019 in Houston, TX. There is a $20 entry fee due with the application. If accepted into the show, there is a $25 booth fee. Splitting a booth with someone is allowed.
2D and 3D works in all media as well as crafts, literary arts, and CDs of music are eligible. Participants will be chosen by Art Spark Texas based on quality of work, the need to display diverse media, and ability of artist to be present and professional at this full weekend event.
Please submit the Abilities Expo Houston Entry Form with up to three examples of work to be in the form of digital photographs. The deadline for entry is Monday, June 3, 2019. Those selected will be notified by Monday, July 1, 2019. The Artist Market will be on display during the Abilities Expo from August 2-4, 2019 at NRG Center, 8400 Kirby Drive, Houston, TX 77054, Hall E.

The Lion and The Pirate Open Mic
2019-06-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Malvern Books, 613 W. 29th Street, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Share a story, poem, song, or other talent in a fun and supportive neighborhood bookstore. The open mic is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us at least one week in advance to request other accommodations, including ASL interpreting, audio description, etc.
This month we are excited to feature acoustic folk duo Cook and Rose and award-winning songwriter and disability history documentarian Jeff Moyer who recently published his memoir “GRIT: A Family Memoir on Adversity and Triumph.”
For more information email Eric Clow or call 512-454-9912.
You can also RSVP, invite friends, and follow our Facebook event page for updates.

Audio Described Performance of “Hamilton”
2019-05-30 20:00 - 23:00 | Bass Concert Hall, 2350 Robert Dedman Drive, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
HAMILTON is the story of America’s Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON is the story of America then, as told by America now.
Email Texas Performing Arts Center or call 512-471-1444 to request audio description. Pick up your headset at the customer service desk on the night of the performance.

Body Shift at The Contemporary Austin
2019-05-25 15:00 - 17:30 | The Contemporary Austin, 700 Congress Ave., Austin, TX, 78701, United States
As part of Abraham Cruzvillegas’s current exhibit of sculptural objects at The Contemporary Austin, he has generously invited a number of artists to “activate” the installation. We’re excited to announce that Body Shift has been asked to bring work into the gallery and participate with this community of artists. Our offering will take place on Saturday, May 25th and will be in two parts – a performance and a workshop both in the same day at 700 Congress Ave. More info here.
– 3pm performance – Brandon Gonzalez and Lauren Tietz direct an improvised ensemble performance that responds to Cruzvillegas’s installation as well as celebrates the spirit of Body Shift. The “activation” brings together a diverse group of people in rehearsal and performance to investigate attention, attunement, and affection. In a world that is often harsh, numb, and isolating, an ethics of care encourages relational practices of embodied presence. What does it mean to be present to one’s own experience while being present with that of another? How do we hold more than one perspective? Performers explore their relations through the moment-to-moment actions of movement and touch. Can we arrive together as a multiplicity of bodies (and objects) as a way of rejuvenating, as well as receiving and giving support?
– 4:30pm workshop – Following the performance, Olivia O’Hare and Veronica DeWitt will facilitate a participatory workshop open to the public. We will use exercises from the DanceAbility method of improvisational dance to offer a direct experience of dance as a way to explore the theme of care as well as respond to Cruzvillegas’s idea of autoconstruccion – to make something out of nothing – in relationship to identity – how can we know who we are until we allow the time to attend to our own sensations and then see or sense ourselves in relationship to other people around us and our environment? How can we create our own autoconstruccion with the material of our bodies, our experience, and the space that Cruzvillegas has created?
We encourage you to stay for both events! You are invited to participate in or observe the workshop. If you plan to participate, please wear clothes you can comfortably move and stretch in (no skirts or large jewelry). There will be refreshments available on the roof deck during the break from 4-4:30pm. The museum is fully accessible.

Speaking Advocates: Funny Family Stories
2019-05-25 13:00 - 15:00 | AGE Building, 3710 Cedar Street, Room 101, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
“Stories in families are colossally important. Every family has stories: some funny, some proud, some embarrassing, some shameful. Knowing them is proof of belonging to the family.”
–Salman Rushdie
Join the Speaking Advocates this month to celebrate the odd and funny characters that fill our families and leave us with lasting memories that continue to bring smiles to our faces year after year.
Our Opening Minds, Opening Doors Speaking Advocates group is free and meets the last Saturday of every month from 1-3 PM in Room 101 of the AGE of Central Texas Building. We welcome adults with disabilities who are interested in presenting stories and meeting other speakers. Email Eric Clow to RSVP or learn more.
You can also RSVP, invite friends, and follow our Facebook event page for updates.

Ode To Living: A Conversation
2019-05-22 18:00 - 21:00 | Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Slaughter Lane, 5701 West Slaughter Lane, Austin, TX, 78749, United States
Join us for this wonderful event devoted to addressing the issue of mental health and suicide. Sponsored by NAMI Texas and Art Spark Texas. The event is free. Registration is available here.
About this Event
My name is Rene Morales, the organizer behind this event and director/producer/writer of “Ode To Living”, an original short film inspired by the instrumental music of Lady Gaga’s “Million Reasons”.
Reception starts at 6pm. Food and drinks on own expense. Program begins right at 7pm!
Featured in the Program:

Panel consisting of the creative team behind the original work.
Screening of original short film/music video “Ode To Living”.
Open forum discussion and testimonials over film and subjects of suicide prevention and mental health with audience.
VSA and NAMI Texas representatives present resources meant for outreach and support for victims and those close to victims.
Booths will be set up for further information on the great and inspiring organizations poised to remove the stigma of mental health in society’s view.

This event is meant to bring this important issue to the forefront as I feel that it doesn’t get enough coverage. Suicide affects a wide spectrum of people, regardless of social status, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. Because of this, it is crucial to come together and realize that we aren’t alone in our own struggles and that we should fight to live not only for ourselves, but for those who carry our same weight on their shoulders. All are welcomed to this night! Feel free to spread the word and bring your friends and loved ones to this special night!
