Art Spark Texas

Body Shift Elements Class
2019-02-09 14:30 - 16:30 (America/Chicago) | Town Lake YMCA, 1100 W. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
The Elements class takes place every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month from 2:30-4:30pm at the Town Lake YMCA in the large group exercise room on the first floor.
(Note: Only one class in February!)
Class will be taught by Lauren Tietz.
//Body as Archive//
Please join us for the next Body Shift Elements class where we will dive into fundamentals of Lisa Nelson’s Tuning Scores while we also explore our body as personal archive. As an artist I have been exploring questions about identity, lineage, and the ancestors. For this class we will work with solo and group tuning as well as take some time to remember (through movement) what has influenced us, shaped us, in palpable and invisible ways. Depending on the group’s interests and the timing of class, this might involve some writing/speaking in addition to witnessing and reflecting movement created.

Lauren Tietz has been working in various settings from forests in Santa Fe, New Mexico to the Rio Grande of Big Bend Texas to the caves of Cappadoccia, Turkey to map and locate the human body in the larger natural world. As a dance artist and filmmaker she has collaborated with many different artists and groups across disciplines along her path.
Influenced by the phenomena of the senses, reflexes, and myriad survival methods humans employ in response to danger, safety, pleasure, and poetics she sees the body as personal and cultural archive. From this intimate perspective Lauren is curious about how our relationship to our own body might be a window to perceive our larger relationship to the body of the earth. What is heard, hidden, forgotten, saved, remembered?
Lauren’s collaborations with other artists span from 2001 to today. She is a teacher, dancer, experimental filmmaker, and interdisciplinary artist. She was the founder of the Improvisation Movement Project (IMP) that worked as a collective devising and performing new dance works beginning in 2004.
In 2011 she completed her MFA at Transart Institute. Her dance films have been screened at: On The Wall: Berlin Dance on Film Series/ Non Fiction (2010), The Not Festival: Curated by Luis Lara Malvacias, NY (2011) and The 5th International Video Art Festival, Cuba (2013 – SSFS), Big Medium (2015) EAST Austin Studio Tour (2016), Blackbox gallery (2017), Experimental response Cinema Local Filmmakers Showcase (2017), Austin Dance Festival (2018).
In addition to teaching classes, workshops, and retreats Lauren also has a private practice in biodynamic craniosacral therapy (EarthSkyBodyworks). She works with a diverse group of clients and offers support in rebalancing and healing from various life events and stressful experiences. She appreciates the connections between these two sides of her life: the creative energy utilized to devise new artworks and the creative energy utilized to help people to heal personal and cultural wounds.

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. See you at the Y!
For more information email Olivia O’Hare or call 512-454-9912.

AD/ASL Performance of “I Wander: A Meditation on Art and Mobility”
2019-02-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Imagine Art, 2830 Real Street, Austin, TX, 78722, United States
As Tolkien famously wrote, “Not all those who Wander are lost.” TILT Performance Group takes these words to heart in its newest original production “I Wander: A Meditation on Art and Mobility.” I Wander immerses audience members inside a real art studio, where colorful characters like the muse of sleep, a haughty art critic, and the apparition of Vincent Van Gogh converge with many others to explore the question “What does it mean to wander, anyway?”
Purchase tickets online or call 512-297-9378.
This performance will have ASL interpretation and audio description.

The Lion and The Pirate Open Mic
2019-02-03 13:00 - 15:00, 2019-01-05 19:00 - 21:00, 2018-12-02 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.
You can RSVP, invite friends, and follow our Facebook event page for updates.
For more information email Eric Clow or call 512-454-9912.

Call for Art: Writers and Artists with Disabilities
2019-01-31 | The Deaf Poets Society
The Deaf Poets Society: an online journal of deaf and disabled literature & art
Submission deadline: Ongoing
This online journal of disability literature and art is seeking submissions to publish work by writers and artists with disabilities. This includes poetry, prose, cross-genre work, book reviews, and artwork. More submission details here.
*This is not a Art Spark Texas call for art.*

AD/ASL/OC Performance of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”
2019-01-30 19:30 - 22:30 | The Topfer at ZACH Theatre, 202 South Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX, 78704, United States
Lift up your hands for the most groundbreaking, heart-stomping, gut-busting character ever to grace the stage! Created by John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” is “the most exciting rock score written for the theatre since, oh, ever” says Time Magazine. Winner of two Obie Awards and four Tony Awards®, Hedwig tells the story of “internationally ignored song stylist” Hedwig Schmidt, a fourth-wall-smashing East German rock ‘n’ roll goddess who also happens to be the victim of a botched sex-change operation, trying to find a place to belong in America. Join the outrageous and unexpectedly hilarious Hedwig as she shares her story backed by her rock-band “The Angry Inch” for an immersive rock gig, stand-up comedy event that will ultimately inspire anyone who has felt life has given them an inch when they deserve a mile.
Age recommendation: 13 and up for strong language and adult themes
This performance is ASL interpreted, audio described, and open captioned. Visit ZACH Theatre online or call 512-476-0541 to purchase tickets and request audio description.

Body Shift Elements Class
2019-01-26 14:30 - 16:30 | Town Lake YMCA, 1100 W. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
The Elements class takes place every 2nd and 4th 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 DanceAbility instructor Tanya Winters.

Simply, Tanya loves to dance! She enjoys pushing the boundaries of art and disability. She began dancing in 2007 at Austin Community College and has been a regular Body Shift participant since its inception. She has had the privilege of studying with several wonderful dancers including Alito Alessi, Nina Martin, Karen Nelson, and Stephen Koplowitz. Tanya became a certified DanceAbility instructor in 2011. She has participated in many student projects including the Justice Project, The Way You Move Your Body, Bodies in Public Space, and Being/With Others. She has enjoyed dancing in several Body Shift pieces including Crippin’ the Streets, Your Way of Thinking, and Echo. She is a co-choreographer of Together and Apart and is currently working on a solo piece called Who am I Now.

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. See you at the Y!
For more information email Olivia O’Hare or call 512-454-9912.

Speaking Advocates: The Start of Something New
2019-01-26 13:00 - 15:00 | AGE Building, 3710 Cedar Street, Room 101, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Out with the old, in with the new! Let’s celebrate the start of 2019 by sharing stories about new beginnings and fresh starts.
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.

Audio Described Performance of “Waitress”
2019-01-24 20:00 - 23:00 | Bass Concert Hall, 2350 Robert Dedman Drive, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
“Waitress” is a musical with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and a book by Jessie Nelson. The musical is based on the 2007 film of the same name, written by Adrienne Shelly. It tells the story of Jenna Hunterson, a waitress in an abusive relationship with her husband Earl.
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.

Sensory-Friendly Performance of “Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly”
2019-01-14 12:00 - 15:00 | Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle, San Antonio, TX, 78205, United States
“Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly”comes to the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, January 14th, 2019. Dallas Children’s Theater captures all of the whimsy of the wildly popular books in the coolest ever rock-and-roll-romp in a bug’s world! A Tobin Family Fun event perfect for families of all ages!
Based on the books by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Harry Bliss, “Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly,” follows the story of unlikely best friends Worm, Spider, and Fly. Worm eats his homework, Fly believes she has superpowers and Spider can’t wait to grow up and molt.
Promoting eco-consciousness, earth science and tolerance of others, “Diary of a Worm, a Spider and a Fly” is a joyful, hip exploration of the world outside. The opening number, a rap entitled “A Lot Like You,” immediately connects our lives with the little creatures from our own backyards. You might just find that a bug’s life is not all that different from your own.
Please note: This performance is tailored to people with autism or other cognitive disabilities and sensory sensitivities.

Audio Described Performance of “Waitress”
2019-01-13 14:00 - 17:00 | Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston Street, San Antonio, TX, 78205, United States
“Waitress” is a musical with music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and a book by Jessie Nelson. The musical is based on the 2007 film of the same name, written by Adrienne Shelly. It tells the story of Jenna Hunterson, a waitress in an abusive relationship with her husband Earl.
Call the Majestic Theatre Box Office at 210-226-3333 and indicate you want audio description.

Body Shift Elements Class
2019-01-12 14:30 - 16:30 | Town Lake YMCA, 1100 W. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
The Elements class takes place every 2nd and 4th 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. See you at the Y!
For more information email Olivia O’Hare or call 512-454-9912.

10th Annual Holiday Art & Gift Show Meet the Artists Reception
2018-12-15 13:00 - 16:00, 2018-12-01 13:00 - 16:00 | AGE Building, 3710 Cedar Street, Room 101, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Meet the artists featured in our 10th Anniversary Holiday Art and Gift Show at this special reception! Refreshments and light snacks will be provided.
Our annual Holiday Art and Gift Show features art for sale from more than 40 unique Texas artists including cards, jewelry, prints, original fine art, clothing, books, CDs, clay, glass, and more! Artists get 70% of the sale price of their artwork.
Cash and credit cards accepted. Please note there is a $2 credit card fee assigned to all sales.
You can RSVP, invite friends, and follow our Facebook event page for updates.

Speaking Advocates Take On The Holidays
2018-12-15 13:00 - 15:00 | AGE Building, 3710 Cedar Street, Room 101, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Everyone has at least one great holiday story. Be it on the road or at home, with family or alone, we have all experienced the range of emotions that come to mind when we think of “the holidays.” From awkward dinner conversations to the absolute worst gifts ever to exciting misadventures to silly family traditions only you would understand, we want to hear your wild and fun holiday stories!
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.

Ten Thousand Villages Benefit Night
2018-12-10 17:00 - 20:00 | Ten Thousand Villages, 4803 Burnet Road, Austin, TX, 78756, United States
This fair trade gift store offers colorful home decor accents, jewelry, musical instruments, accessories, and other unique gift items; providing vital, fair income for artisans in Third World Countries and helping to build sustainable communities.
Ten Thousand Villages will donate between 10-15% of the evening’s sales to support our programs and services.
It’s the perfect time to buy your holiday gifts, so come ready to shop fair trade! If you can’t make it, consider making a donation here.
Bus Routes: 3, 345

Giving Voice Austin Poster Exhibition Reception
2018-12-09 14:00 - 16:00 | Imagine Art, 2830 Real Street, Austin, TX, 78722, United States
Join Art Spark Texas and AIGA Austin for the poster exhibition showcasing 8 posters created by students with disabilities and their graphic design mentors during the 3rd Annual Giving Voice Austin program. Meet the artists and enjoy refreshments at the reception from 2-4 PM. The posters will be on view from December 4-14, 2018.
Posters will also be available for sale by a silent auction. Bid on the posters before the event. Final bids will be taken at the event with bidding closing at 4 PM on December 9th.
You can RSVP, invite friends, and follow the Facebook event page for updates.

Body Shift Winter Dance Jam
2018-12-08 14:30 - 16:30 | Town Lake YMCA, 1100 W. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
Please click here for our Dec 14 2019 Dance Jam
In place of our regularly scheduled Elements class we will have a Winter Dance Jam. We will start with a guided warm-up to lead us into open dancing with and without music.
The jam is Saturday, December 8th from 2:30-4:30pm at the Townlake YMCA.
Olivia O’Hare will lead the warm-up.
//Winter Dance Jam//
Saturday, December 8th from 2:30-4:30pm at the Townlake YMCA in the large group exercise room on the first floor. Adults (age 18 and up) of all abilities are encouraged to attend. Some experience with movement/dance improvisation or contact improvisation is best. No membership required. Cost is on a sliding scale of $5-$20. See you there!
For more information email Olivia O’Hare or call 512-454-9912.

Art Spark Texas at Library Live!
2018-12-08 14:00 - 16:00 | Art Spark Texas offices, 1152 San Bernard Street, Austin, TX, 78702, United States
Join us at Carver Branch Library for an afternoon of live music presented by Austin Public Library (APL) and Art Spark Texas!
Show at 2:00 PM / Doors at 1:45 PM
With performances by:
Snehi
Teel Montague
The Spinrockers
Free and open to the public!
About the musicians:
The Spinrockers are a local duo featuring multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Devin Gutierrez and vocalist Mary Rose Bushland. This month they plan to bring some Christmas classics and a few original compositions.
Teel Montague is an engaging singer/songwriter/storyteller with an acoustic folk and blues sound. As she says, “My life experience and desire for honest expression direct my creation of melody, instrumentation, and lyrics. I aspire to be as sincere and unaffected in my vocals and writing as possible, in order to convey an accessible message. Often I simply sit down with my guitar and play chords and notes that match whatever soul issue I am trying to process. The lyrics generally flow out of that.”
Snehi plays around with Indian and Western music to create music that speaks to him in some way. His latest album CHALU (the Telugu word for ‘enough’) was based on his journey of learning to laugh again. Most of his songs are written in Telugu or English, and offer a glimpse into the complex mind of this simple man, something he hopes will get us thinking about our funny world.
You can RSVP, invite friends, and follow our Facebook event page for updates.
For more information email Eric Clow or call 512-454-9912.

Audio Described Performance of “Christmas Carol”
2018-12-06 19:30 - 22:30 | The Topfer at ZACH Theatre, 202 South Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX, 78704, United States
Austin’s most rockin’ holiday tradition returns to make merry with new music and surprises to get the party started. ZACH’s inspired adaptation of this Dickens’ classic is a musical sleigh ride through rhythm and time, infusing the traditional Victorian story with a score that spans all genres and eras. Motown meets the Ho-Ho-Holidays in this family-friendly spectacular, creating an infectious spirit that has everyone dancing in the aisles. Celebrate the season with the loving Cratchit family and three soulful ghosts as they take Ebenezer Scrooge on a joyride to rediscover his heart and love for human kindness.
Visit ZACH Theatre online or call 512-476-0541 to purchase tickets and request audio description.

On Display Austin 2018
2018-12-03 18:30 - 20:00 | Austin Central Library, 710 W. César Chávez St., Austin, TX, 78701, United States
Join Body Shift and a cast of local dancers, actors, and activists of diverse ages, abilities, and backgrounds as we present Heidi Latsky’s ON DISPLAY at Austin Central Library on December 3rd from 6:30-8pm.
ON DISPLAY is meant to be viewed as an art installation so you may come and go as you please during the performance time. Cost is FREE!
ON DISPLAY is a deconstructed art exhibit/fashion show and commentary on the body as spectacle and society’s obsession with body image. It turns a cast of diverse and extreme bodies into a sculpture court where the performers are the sculptures. ON DISPLAY began as a simple human sculpture court and is now a movement, a growing portfolio of works that explore and demonstrate inclusion through art.
We’ve always been taught not to stare; not to look at someone deeply because it might offend them; that if someone “different” catches our eye we have objectified them. This is the life of the viewer. Alternatively, should we possess a birthmark, a glorious height, or unknown disability we risk being too noticeable and often ostracized or worse. This is the life of the viewed.
In both lives there is a harsh limitation where one does not have the time to see beyond mere characteristics and the other cannot be seen as anything but other. How can we possibly create a safer space for both to really look?
ON DISPLAY Austin is the local platform of an annual worldwide initiative ON DISPLAY Global that evolved out of Heidi Latsky Dance’s partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office and the UN in celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It is a sculpture court where the performers are the sculptures.
You can RSVP, invite friends, and follow our Facebook event page for updates.

Call for Art: Black Artists with Disabilities (on behalf of Arts Unbound)
2018-12-01 | Arts Unbound, 198 Bellevue Ave, Montclair, NJ, 07043, United States
No Shame in My Game
Submission deadline: December 1st, 2018
Exhibition dates: February 1st – March 2nd, 2019
Arts Unbound is currently accepting submissions for an exhibition featuring work by black artists with disabilities that will be on view February 2019. This show will celebrate Black History Month by highlighting the achievements of black artists while at the same time bringing attention to the issues around disability in the black community.
For this open call we are specifically inviting black artists who have a physical disability, developmental disability, learning disability, chronic illness, or mental illness to apply. Both emerging and established artists are encouraged to submit, and we will be accepting work in any medium, including sound.
Please submit via email to cryan@artsunbound.org:

1 – 3 images at 72 dpi, JPEG format

Images must be labeled with artist name, title, medium, size

An artist statement and short bio

More submission details
*This is not a Art Spark Texas call for art.*

Audio Described Performance of “Love Never Dies”
2018-11-29 20:00 - 23:00 | Bass Concert Hall, 2350 Robert Dedman Drive, Austin, TX, 78712, United States
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.

Audio Described Performance of “Christmas Carol”
2018-11-28 19:30 - 22:30 | The Topfer at ZACH Theatre, 202 South Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX, 78704, United States
Visit ZACH Theatre online or call 512-476-0541 to purchase tickets and request audio description.

Speaking Advocates Talk Celebrating Disability
2018-11-17 13:00 - 15:00 | AGE Building, 3710 Cedar Street, Room 101, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
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.

Austin Veteran Arts Festival (AVA Fest) Launch Party and Fundraiser
2018-11-15 18:00 - 23:00 | The Belmont, 305 W. 6th Street, Austin, TX, 78701, United States
The Veteran Suicide Prevention Channel is hosting a Launch Party and Fundraiser for the Austin Veteran Arts Festival (AVA Fest). This fundraiser is an interactive cultural arts preview of the festival.
Join us as we make history with the first and only national festival open to all veterans, their family members, and the general public in the United States. It is also the only national festival to date showcasing art in the way that specifically honors and illuminates the unique experiences of veterans. Art Spark Texas is proud to be a partner of this event. Click here to learn more.

10th Anniversary Holiday Art & Gift Show
2018-11-13 - 2018-12-22 | AGE Building, 3710 Cedar Street, Room 101, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
Buy holiday gifts and artwork from 47 unique Texas artists! This show includes everything: original cards, jewelry, prints, fine art, clothing, books, CDs, clay, glass, and more! Purchase select items from our online store.
We are located in Room 101 of the AGE of Central Texas Building at 3707 Home Lane, just a block east of Guadalupe Street on West 38th Street. Look for the signs.
We are open Monday-Saturday, 10AM-4PM. Be sure to join us for our Meet the Artists Receptions Saturday, December 1st, 1-4PM and Saturday, December 15th, 1-4PM!
You can RSVP, invite friends, and follow our Facebook event page for updates.

10th Annual Holiday Art & Gift Show Preview Reception
2018-11-12 18:30 - 20:30 | AGE Building, 3710 Cedar Street, Room 101, Austin, TX, 78705, United States
You are invited to a sneak preview of the spectacular art and gifts for sale in our 10th Annual Holiday Show! Catch a glimpse of the art on display and take your pick before the show officially opens November 13th!

Body Shift Elements Class
2018-11-10 14:30 - 16:30 | Town Lake YMCA, 1100 W. Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX, 78703, United States
The Elements class takes place every 2nd and 4th 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 Juan Munoz and Susie Angel.
No gym membership is required to attend. Open to adults age 16 and up; all abilities and experience levels. No registration necessary and fee for class is on a sliding scale from $5-$20, cash or check accepted. See you at the Y!
For more information email Olivia O’Hare or call 512-454-9912.
