Spotlight on Visionaries + Voices
As we continue our exhibition on disabled and neurodiversity artists, we want to feature the local Cincinnati non-profit organization Visionaries + Voices, which provides creative, professional, and educational opportunities to more than 125 visual artists with disabilities. Established in 2003, V+V is working to actively contribute to the greater arts community by partnering with local and regional artists in Cincinnati while collectively growing as an inclusive arts community.
V+V’s model is to create a world where artists with disabilities can produce and share their art but are also given opportunities to learn, collaborate, and develop professional skills while celebrating with community members. With two studio spaces, the organization features rotating shows with work by their artists-in-residence and others. Additionally, Visionaries + Voices has a Teaching Artist Program that partners 27 teaching artists with their educational staff to develop and prepare lessons for paid opportunities in the Great Cincinnati area and beyond. V+V offers annual summer art camps and social art workshops on Saturdays at their Northside Studio and Gallery during the summer.
Not only does V+V provide a space for their artists to create, but they also provide transportation for those who need it. The importance of this service for their clients was highlighted after their van was broken into in early July. The organization leaders had to use their personal cars to get clients to the studio. One artist, Linda Kunick, said she “never can wait to come back here to do [her] art.” Executive Director Robyn Winkler pointed out that the studio and organization are more than just an art space for people. It’s a community that provides a routine, and therefore, a lack of transportation for those who need it disrupts that routine.
The concept for Visionaries + Voices started over twenty years ago when Keith Banner and Bill Ross, who worked for county boards that served individuals with disabilities, curated an exhibition in Base Gallery featuring the work of artists with disabilities. More opportunities followed that initial exhibition, eventually leading to the creation of Visionaries + Voices.
Tyler Spohn working in front of his Artist of the Month feature.
V+V exhibitions director, Skip Cullen, points out that “In contrast to the world which can be at times rigid and monotonous, the studio is a communal space where roughly 20-30 people are making art everyday bringing very different minds together. Some visitors immediately get it when they walk into a space, it's like a breath of fresh air. What is more dramatic to me is over time witnessing people change their personality to be more outgoing, more willing to take risks, and do the work they wouldn't have been able to do. You can't see that in a day, it takes time.”
The organization’s website features art by its artists, information on upcoming events, exhibitions, and an online store where visitors can purchase artwork, t-shirts, pins, and more. If you would like to support V+V by volunteering or donating, you can find more information on their website.