The Kennedy Center Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD®) Awards recognize outstanding arts administrators and cultural arts organizations whose leadership and work furthers the field of accessibility. The goal in granting these awards is to increase awareness and focus on the importance of accessibility in artistic venues, cultural institutions, and natural history settings.
William Coleman accepts the 2015 LEAD® Award for Emerging Leaders.
The LEAD® Award for Emerging Leaders was created in 2008 to acknowledge arts administrators who are motivated by the LEAD® conference to become an advocate for accessibility within their own organizations and communities. These individuals successfully apply what they learn at the conference to open doors to and shape opportunities that are inclusive of people with disabilities and older adults in the cultural arts.
Recipients must have attended a LEAD® conference within the past two years and implemented a new access initiative or project as a direct result of their attendance. These new initiatives are any efforts to improve accessibility, including, but not limited to, conducting a docent, staff, or volunteer accessibility training; reviewing and revising organizational policies; or forming an access advisory committee.
To be considered or nominate a candidate for the Award for Emerging Leaders, please complete the online application by May 1, 2019.
Optional: Up to three supplemental materials. These materials can include items such as accessibility brochures; a list of access programs and services; letters of support; or press materials highlighting accessibility programs and services.
Applications will be reviewed by committee and recipients will be selected in June. Applicants may be contacted for an interview.
Please contact us at 202-416-8727 or access@kennedy-center.org if you have any questions or require an alternate format.
Members of the Museum Access Consortium pose in front of a whale shark tank after receiving the Community Asset Award in 2017.
The LEAD® Community Asset Award recognizes the achievements of cultural arts administrators or organizations that continually demonstrate success with access initiatives, improving accessibility in their organization, city, state or region.
Recipients must be an individual or team on staff at a cultural arts organization or a cultural arts organization that has demonstrated success improving or providing access for individuals with disabilities for a minimum of 5 years. The body of work will be a comprehensive accessibility initiative that recognizes the diversity within the disability community.
To be considered or to nominate a candidate for the Community Asset Awards, please complete the online application by May 1, 2019.
Why they continue to be or were successful.
Two letters of support from members of the community that describe how they have been impacted by the work of the individual, team, or organization.
Optional: Up to three supplemental materials. These materials can include items such as accessibility brochures; a list of access programs and services; or press materials highlighting accessibility programs and services.
Submissions will be reviewed by committee and recipients will be selected in June. Applicants may be contacted for an interview.
2013 Award for Excellence Recipient, Renee Wells.
The LEAD® Awards for Excellence in Accessibility Leadership were created in 2004 to recognize a lifetime of achievement in arts and accessibility.
Recipients are selected for having sustained accessibility efforts over a significant period of time, demonstrating either an individual or institutional commitment to the inclusion of all people with disabilities. This pertains to incorporating accessibility into organizational programs, projects, and environments. Other factors considered in selecting award winners are the breadth of impact and how the person or entity has served as a role-model or leader within the cultural arts community and in areas such as business, social service, and government.
Individuals who have attended the Kennedy Center's LEAD® Conference within the past five years are eligible to nominate arts organizations or individuals for the LEAD® Awards for Excellence in Accessibility Leadership.
To submit a nomination, please complete the application online by May 1, 2019.
A written statement or video detailing how the individual or organization has been a leader in and made important contributions to the field of cultural arts access. This statement should address the depth, breadth and scope of contributions to accessibility in the arts.
Beth Prevor for unwavering commitment to the inclusion of people with disabilities in the performing arts across the New York Metropolitan region.
Renee Wells for her inspiring dedication to and mentoring of cultural arts administrators in the art of inclusive practices.
Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, and New England ADA Centers for exemplary support, guidance, and direction to others striving to achieve accessibility in the cultural arts.
John Wodatch for exemplary advocacy at the national level on behalf of the rights or people with disabilities to participate in and access the cultural arts.
Rebecca McGinnis for exemplary dedication and commitment to bringing together academic and cultural communities to improve accessibility for people with disabilities in museums and the cultural arts.
Ray Bloomer for championing and fostering accessibility for people with disabilities in our nation's parks, historic sites and museums.
Media Access Group at WGBH for innovative contributions and outstanding commitment to advancing technology in the field of accessible media.
Paper Mill Playhouse for its long-standing commitment to accessibility in the cultural arts for people with disabilities and older adults.
Linda Jane Austen for unwavering dedication to promoting opportunities for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities and older adults in the cultural arts.
Wheelock Family Theatre for exemplary leadership in the inclusion of people with disabilities in the performing arts.
The Smithsonian Institution Accessibility Program for dedication and leadership in providing access for museum visitors and staff with disabilities, creating museum accessibility guidelines that are in use around the world, and establishing a model of institutional change through its policy, guidelines, and practices.