Careers in the Arts: Promoting Access, Equity, and Inclusion for People with Disabilities

Webinar hosted by the National Endowment for the Arts, May 16, 2019 The arts and culture field offers a rewarding and viable career path for artists and arts workers. The arts contribute more than $700 billion to the U.S. economy and count almost 5 million workers. It is a growing field and one that enables people with and without disabilities to express themselves creatively and engage in work they are passionate about. However, people with disabilities interested in a career in the arts may face certain barriers to success. This National Endowment for the Arts webinar—the first in the series of six—explored ways to tackle those barriers and connect people with disabilities to tools and resources that can assist them in pursuing a rewarding career in the arts and culture field. Guest speakers discussed the importance of disability inclusion in the arts for arts organizations and take a high-level look at the roles played by arts employers, grantmakers, educators, and people with disabilities. Speakers included:

• Jennifer Sheehy, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor
• Judith Smith, Founder & Director Emerita, AXIS Dance Company
• Jerron Herman, Dancer, Writer, Speaker
• Beth Bienvenu, Director, Office of Accessibility, National Endowment for the Arts