Welcome to the special VSA arts/Creative Connections exhibit of "Illuminate! Bringing My Culture to Light" produced by children with disabilities from Peru, St. Lucia, South Africa, The United Arab Emirates, and Washington, DC.

Art in this exhibit was taken from a special ArtLink exchange between students from mainstream to special education classrooms working with VSA arts affiliates in these countries. The young artists had the opportunity to explore ideas in an environment where diverse learning needs, styles, and cultural backgrounds were nurtured and respected.

VSA arts and Creative Connections share the belief that international exchange between classrooms is a creative and engaging way of achieving educational goals, as much as it is an adventure in cross-cultural diversity. ArtLink is also a tool for making classroom settings more inclusive, especially for children with disabilities.

VSA arts is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1974 by Jean Kennedy Smith to promote education and lifelong learning opportunities in the arts for people with disabilities. More than six million people participate in VSA arts programs annually through a worldwide network of affiliate organizations. VSA arts programs in music, dance, drama, creative writing, and the visual arts develop learning skills, encourage independence, and promote access and inclusion.

To learn more about VSA arts, go to www.vsarts.org