jansentrepreneurshipfactsheetseries.docVIP

JAN’S ENTREPRENEURSHIP FACT SHEET SERIES Self-employment for artists with disabilities JAN, an ODEP-supported program, is a free information, consulting, and referral service providing resources on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other relevant laws, workplace accommodations for people with disabilities, and assistance with self-employment and small business development options. JAN’s consultants provide individualized technical assistance, consulting, and mentoring services to individuals with disabilities, family members, and service providers. Each inquiry is handled on a case-by-case basis offering self-employment and small business development expertise and referrals regarding business planning, financing strategies, marketing research, disability-specific programs, income supports and benefits planning, e-commerce, independent contracting, home-based business options, and small business initiatives for disabled veterans. For artists with disabilities, self-employment can be a viable and profitable career choice. In fact, careers in the arts, more so than many other vocational paths, lend themselves to independent and self-directed employment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), approximately 62 percent of artists and those in affiliated professions are self-employed. These occupational categories range from freelance artists to management professions. BLS’ Occupational Outlook Handbook (2008-09) anticipates that careers in the arts will grow faster than average, with a continuing need for talented and creative individuals in the various artistic sectors. Artists with disabilities have historically made important contributions in all areas of the arts including painting, sculpture, music, writing, and composing, to name but a few. Famous Artists with Disabilities: Claude Monet, painter with a visual impairment Flannery O’Connor, writer with lupus Dorothea Lange, photographer with polio Aretha Franklin, singer with diabetes