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EXPRESS-NEWS, San Antonio, Texas, Thursday, July 17,1986 Page 3-C

Campaign targets arts for the handicapped
 This week marks the start of a  community-wide campaign for a project that will mushroom into national importance.
 No doubt about it when you consider the project is recognizing the importance of all disciplines of the arts for handicapped people.
 The Very Special Arts-San Antonio Festival, to include workshops, presentations, seminars, and performances involving handicapped children and adults, is scheduled for March 1987.
The VSA-SA begins phase one with three workshops to be led by artists who through a recent survey have been identified as experts in the arts for disabled individuals.
These artist of all disciplines will lead the workshops for other teachers to help develop specific programs in schools and community centers.
At the March festival, all of those trained will participate in the massive effort geared at recognizing the artistic talents of the handicapped and to further train those who are involved with the handicapped people. 
All of the above started with ground zero just last March when Judy Babbitt, planning administrator for the city's Department of Planning, called an organizational meeting throughout the city with an interest in the arts and handicapped.
Representing Mayor Henry Cisneros was Shirl Thomas, who indicated 
[[image]] Blair Corning
the mayor's vital interest and commitment to the project.
As well he should, as in 1985 the mayor become a national board member of Very Special Arts, an educational affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
That organization was spawned by a conference held in 1974 on the arts for mentally handicapped children. it was financed by the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation. 
"The conference provided a tremendous national interest in the concept of integrating the arts into the education of the mentally handicapped child," said Babbitt, who is also administrator of the city's Handicapped Access  Office.
In 1977 Arts for the Handicapped was incorporated with Jean Kennedy Smith as its founder. In 1985 the name was changed to Very Special Arts, and the program was enlarged
[[image]]
[[caption]] Photo by JOHNNY GARZA
CANDES CHUMNEY AND MEL CASAS DISCUSS FESTIVAL
...event will focus on arts for the handicapped
to embrace all handicapped people and all arts disciplines. 
Today there are 30 states with VSA programs, and it is estimated that by the end of 1986 some 300 festivals will be conducted throughout the country.
San Antonio is the sixth Texas city to have a component. The Texas Very Special Arts Festival office in Austin acts as coordinator for all state activities and provides initial seed money to each new festival locale.
From that first meeting came a small board headed by Mel Casas, director of the arts department at San Antonio College and a member of the city's Fine Arts commission. Also on the board are Candes Chumney, director, the Funding Information Center; Glenna Park, an artist and arts teacher at Saint Mary's Hall, and Bernie Cantu, coordinator, Centro 21, among others. 
Babbitt, also administrator of the Handicapped Access Office for the city, serves as liaison administrator for VSA-SA.
VSA-SA already has garnered support from the community, and this week begins a campaign called "The Friends of VSA-SA" to help fund the series of upcoming seminars and eventually the March festival.
Now with an office located in Millton Babbitt and Partners, 205 N. presa St., and an operable telephone (224-0006), actress Marina Pincus and artist Gene Elder have coordinated formative plans for both the upcoming seminars and laid the groundwork for the March festival. That won't be just a one-day event, but also will incorporate related programs and exhibits at various art institutions and agencies throughout the city during March.
More support is forthcoming from the Arts Council of the San Antonio with executive director Louis LeRoy, who worked for six years with mentally retarded people in Arizona, recognizing the importance of the new artistic initiative. 
"The role of the Arts Council is to assist with all aspects of growth and development of all arts in San Antonio. The VSA-SA project deals with a constituency that is often overlooked in arts planning.
"We feel that it is important that this festival take place and are committed to its success by our involvement in an advisory capacity," LeRoy said.
That makes Babbitt, an architect, lending his space for the VSA-SA office; LeRoy and his expertise assisting in the program development, and a local university will provide the services of an intern to help run the VSA-SA office.
Local artist Jean Rosow is developing a logo design that will both identify the San Antonio project and link it with the national program.
Now, all it takes is funding forthcoming from "The Friends of Very Special Arts-San Antonio."
The project is off to a health funding start.
The local chapter of Pilots International, a national service organization committed to extending programs for the disables, will be contributing $5,000 and its volunteers to the project. Local president is Irene T. Phillips and chairman of community service is Jeanie Cantu.
Each $5, $10 or $25 contribution will go a long way to bring arts for all handicapped people to the forefront of the community's awareness. 
As the Arts Council's LeRoy said: "The most significant aspect of the festival is that is points to the fact the arts are for everyone. This festival represents that symbol of recognition for the handicapped."
For more information call VSA-SA at 224-0006