VSA and CVS Caremark All Kids Can Invite Children Nationwide to Share their Inspiration through Artwork

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) Washington, DC – January 13, 2012 – VSA, the international organization on arts and disability and an affiliate of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts along with CVS Caremark All Kids Can are inviting children with and without disabilities, ages 5-15, to participate in the 2012 All Kids Can CREATE “Call for Art” and showcase the positive impact the arts can have on each and every child. This year’s theme, “What Inspires Me,” encourages young people to reflect on what inspires them and express those inspirations through original art. The 2012 All Kids Can CREATE program will officially launch on the birthday of inspirational civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.   Artwork submitted before April 8, 2012 at http://www.artsonia.com/allkidscan will be featured in an online gallery and considered for display in the “What Inspires Me” exhibition debuting at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, D.C. in August 2012. One hundred and two pieces of art―two from each state and the District of Columbia―will be part of the exhibition.    The “Call for Art” is part of VSA and CVS Caremark’s All Kids Can CREATE campaign to encourage learning and community engagement through artistic expression. The program includes the Call for Art, artist-in-residence programs in schools, and community events that will expand access and learning through the arts for students with disabilities. CVS Caremark colleagues also participate in the program through volunteer activities that engage their communities and/or schools in building inclusive environments.   “The arts provide valuable opportunities for students to explore and exercise their creativity,” said Betty Siegel, Director of VSA. “Through programs like this we have been able to expose thousands of students of all abilities to the arts.”   “CVS Caremark is proud to partner with VSA for the fifth year on the All Kids Can CREATE campaign, furthering our commitment to inclusion and giving children of all abilities a unique opportunity to express themselves through their artwork,” said Eileen Howard Boone, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Community Relations, CVS Caremark. “The artwork celebrates each individual student and raises awareness in schools and in local communities about the importance of inclusion.”   Children are invited to stretch their imagination by using traditional art materials as well as non-traditional ones, such as wrapping paper, newspaper or aluminum foil. In addition, teachers who submit their students’ artwork are eligible to receive one of four $1,500 cash awards to use in their classrooms.   Last year’s All Kids Can CREATE resulted in more than 4,700 submissions from across the country. All of the artwork submitted this year, from paintings to sculptures to photographs, will be featured in an online gallery at www.artsonia.com   The deadline for the 2012 All Kids Can CREATE Call for Art is April 8, 2012. To submit artwork, please visit http://www.artsonia.com/allkidscan.     About VSA VSA, the international organization on arts and disability, was founded more than 35 years ago by Ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith to provide arts and education opportunities for people with disabilities and increase access to the arts for all. With 52 international affiliates and a network of nationwide affiliates, VSA is changing perceptions about people with disabilities around the world. VSA is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. For more information, www.vsarts.org   About Education at the Kennedy Center For more than 35 years, educational programming has been at the central core of the Kennedy Center’s mission. The Kennedy Center, along with its affiliates/partners (the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera and VSA), offers inclusive educational performances and programs in the arts to people of all ages. The educational resources focus on producing, presenting, and touring performances and educational events for young people and their families; school- and community-based residencies and other programs that directly impact teachers, students, administrators, and artists through professional development; systemic and school improvement through the arts and arts integrated curricula; partnerships; creating and providing educational materials via print and the Internet; the development of careers in the arts for young people and aspiring professionals; and strengthening the management of arts organizations.   About CVS Caremark All Kids Can CVS Caremark All Kids Can, a program of the CVS Caremark Charitable Trust and CVS Caremark, is committed to support children with disabilities. The goals of All Kids Can are to support children with disabilities by raising awareness in schools and in local communities about the importance of inclusion, creating greater opportunities for physical activity and play, and providing access to medical rehabilitation. CVS Caremark and its more than 200,000 employees plan to help children with disabilities learn, play, and succeed through partnerships with leading local and national nonprofit organizations such as VSA and many others across the country. www.cvscaremarkallkidscan.com.   Funding Credit All Kids Can CREATE is made possible by CVS Caremark.   For more information about the Kennedy Center visit www.kennedy-center.org. Please visit facebook.com/kennedycenter for behind-the-scenes news, special offers, advance notice of events and other related Kennedy Center Facebook pages. Follow @kencen on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news, offers and more.   CVS20156