An organization founded nearly 40 years ago to break down barriers in the arts is preparing to close its doors. Inclusive Arts Vermont, a leading advocate for accessibility and creative expression among Vermonters with disabilities, will officially close on June 30.
The nonprofit, which has offices in Essex Junction, faced increasing financial constraints over the years, including rising operating costs and an erosion of funding opportunities, according to executive director Sarah Brown.
Founded in 1986 as part of the national Very Special Arts network, a program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., Inclusive Arts Vermont changed its name several times over the years but not its mission. It provided arts programming for early childhood, K-12 and adult groups, partnering with schools, state agencies and nonprofits across Vermont. It also ran traveling exhibitions of artworks by Vermonters with disabilities and offered workshops on making the arts more accessible.
Last year, the organization held 132 programs involving more than 13,000 people, including artists, educators and the public. It hosted its fifth yearlong exhibition, “CYCLES,” which featured works by 25 artists with disabilities and traveled to locations such as the University of Vermont and the Statehouse cafeteria.
But the nonprofit also ended the year with a $48,000 deficit — a significant amount considering its roughly $460,000 annual budget. The organization, which currently employs a staff of 17, has been operating at a loss for eight years, according to Brown.
A major financial turning point arose in 2011, she said, when the federal government made significant budget cuts affecting arts and disability organizations; Inclusive Arts lost about a third of its overall budget. It was still eligible to apply for federal funds from the Kennedy Center, but those funds weren’t guaranteed and only covered about 1 percent of its budget.
To make up for the shortage, the group sought more grants from government and private funders, worked to expand support from businesses and corporations, and launched new programs to boost revenue. “It’s been a real patchwork of efforts,” Brown said.
Increased competition for funding among nonprofits following the pandemic deepened the financial strain. Shifting priorities under the Trump administration — among them, efforts to roll back inclusivity initiatives — will only make it harder for small organizations such as Brown’s to secure funding and support.
“The sustainability that we were working very hard to pursue is just something that’s become insurmountable from the perspective of our board,” she said.
Brown and Inclusive Arts board members wrote in a statement that they explored options for keeping the organization running but ultimately did not see a viable path forward.
Brookfield artist Kristina Gosh said she was devastated when she heard the news.
Gosh got involved with Inclusive Arts about a decade ago through a professional development course about increasing accessibility in arts education settings — a topic that was deeply personal for her. At 19, Gosh was diagnosed with bipolar disorder after years of struggling in school due to focus issues and social stigma.
As an adult working as an arts educator, she wanted to better understand how to help students who were similarly challenged. Through the course, she visited arts venues such as the Flynn in Burlington to learn about accessibility models and methods — what she called “multiple ways of receiving information.”
Artworks at Inclusive Arts events and exhibitions were accompanied by accessible features including audio descriptions, tactile representations, braille materials and ASL interpreters.
“It’s heartbreaking that an organization so clearly delivering this vision and mission with such focus and care for 40 years would just suddenly not be able to continue,” Gosh said. “I think it will affect people’s quality of life, honestly.”
Brown said she’s hopeful that Inclusive Arts’ mission can live on through others. “People with disabilities are here, and they still matter and are valued,” she added.
She’s optimistic those currently partnering with the group will take up similar work in their communities. “We’re seeing some conversations among organizations who are contemplating whether they can carry on some of these elements at a smaller scale,” she said. “While it won’t fill a statewide gap, it’s hopeful to see.”
This article appears in The Summer Preview 2025.
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