Very Special Arts of California

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VSA Sites

VSA arts of California affiliates offer community-based programs that promote the power of the arts for children and adults with disabilities throughout California. VSA arts of California affiliates serve more than 135,000 people (artists with disabilities, volunteers, audience members, etc.). The state-wide organization connects the affiliate sites as they balance and support each other.

Here is how you can find out about your local VSA arts of California affiliate:

Antelope Valley Contact: Alma Guerrero, M.A. Email: arguerrero@avselpa.psd.k12.ca.us Phone: 661-274-4136 Programs: VSA Festival

Los Angeles Contact: Suzy Boyett Email: sboyett@musiccenter.org Phone: 213-972-33305 Programs: VSA Festival, I Can Do That! in Los Angeles (Artists-in-the-Schools)

Marin Contact: Nydia Algazzali Gonzalez Email: ngonzalez@youthinarts.org Phone: 415-457-4878 Programs: VSA Festival, Artists-in-the-Schools

Merced Contact: John Russell-Curry Email: jrussell@mcoe.org Phone: 209-381-6744 Programs: VSA Festival, programs for adults with disabilities

Orange County Contact: Phyllis Berenbeim Email: pberenbeim@ocde.us Phone: 714-966-4303 Programs: VSA Festival, Artshift at Children's Hospital of OC, Special Appropriations Program, Musical Theatre, Laguna Playhouse Project, OC Fair, Summer at the OC performing Arts Center

Palo Alto Contact: Lawrence Tran Email: ltran09@stanford.edu Phone: 808-206-6848 Programs: VSA Festival, Achieve Classroom

Sacramento Contact: Alice Parente Email: vsas77@earthlink.net Phone: 916-277-6747 Programs: VSA Festival, I Can Do That! in Sacramento (Artists-in-the-Schools), Artshift at Sutter Memorial Hospital, Open Eyes...Open Hearts, Arts Alive

San Diego Contact: Kim Rogers Tyler Email: kimmtyler@gmail.com Contact: Susan Sullivan Email: swedishartist54@yahoo.com Program: VSA Festival

Santa Barbara Contact: Laura McNamara Email: laura@artsoutreach.com Phone: 805-688-9533 Contact: Cynthia deVine, Email: devineart1@comcast.net Program: VSA Festival

Yuba Sutter Contact: Robert Reich Email: breich@yubasutterarts.org Phone: 530-742-2787 Program: VSA Festival, Artists-in-the-Schools

Many Very Special Arts California affiliate programs are part of collaborative partnerships between various schools districts (special education departments), County Offices of Education, hospitals, and/or local Very Special Arts California organizations. All local sites partner with school districts (i.e. SELPA, Special Education Department, and/ or County Offices of Education); some sites are also in partnership with their Arts Councils, Regional Centers, and rehabilitation centers. Very Special Arts California participant populations vary from 50 people in Antelope County to 27,000 people in Orange County.

Written and verbal comments from parents and teachers assist both local and state directors in determining the values of Very Special Arts California programs. Video tapes provide a way to identify program and performance success.Very Special Arts California planning committees review information and create a yearly report along with press clippings and brochures that are sent to the central office ofVery Special Arts California and then on to National VSA arts.