This convening brings together artists and cultural professionals to examine how accessibility, workplace norms, and financial structures shape who can sustain a long-term career in the arts. The program focuses on how professional expectations, funding realities, and institutional practices affect whether disabled artists can remain active and visible in the field over time.

Arts organizations have long positioned themselves as leaders in cultural dialogue and change. This program asks how leadership can address disability concerns — not only in ways that promote inclusion, but also in how organizations structure engagement, define professional expectations, and support long-term artistic careers.

This program addresses a central problem: access to arts spaces does not guarantee long-term sustainability. Even when disabled artists are able to enter, the expectations, barriers, and professional demands of the art world often fail to account for the additional challenges disabled artists face, limiting access to opportunities, career advancement, and sustained engagement over time.

We are seeking sponsors to help fund:

Fair honoraria for participating artists and speakers
Accessibility services: sign language (ASL) interpretation and captioning
Printed take-home resources for institutions and attendees
Reception-style catering to support participation and continued dialogue

Panelists

Keynote Speaker- TBA

Moderator- Bethany Stevens // Disabled Sociologist, Educator, & Culture Critic, PhD candidate at Georgia State University

Panelists-

Amanda Grae Platner
Jessica Elaine Blinkhorn
Megan Mosholder
Victoria Dugger
5th panelist- TBA

Sponsorship Title

Lead Sponsor

Supporting Sponsor

Community Sponsor

Sponsorship Description

Primary recognition in program materials

Verbal acknowledgment during the event

Logo placement on printed resources and event communications

Recognition in program materials

Verbal acknowledgment during the event

Recognition in printed program materials

Donation Amount

$2,500

$1,000

$500

Who Gets to Sustain a Career in the Arts?

Accessibility, Career Attrition & Institutional Barriers