Glossary of Terms

 Accessibility – The ability of all individuals, including those with disabilities and older Americans, to have access to SAF programs and those of its partner arts presenter. ALL SAF FUNDED EVENTS MUST BE ACCESSIBLE AS DEFINED BY Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) GUIDELINES.   The National Endowment for the Arts has a resource, the Design for Accessibility handbook, to assist organizations in making accommodations.  For a copy of this handbook please visit the Endowment's website.

 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – Signed into law on July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act is a wide-ranging legislation intended to make American Society more accessible to people with disabilities. The ADA includes five titles; two relate to government and nonprofit presenters. These are Titles II and III, described below. Please visit the ADA website at www.ada.gov for additional information.

Public Services (Title II) – Requires that all state and local governments (their departments and agencies) give people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all of their public programs, activities and services (e.g., public education, employment, transportation, recreation, health care, social services, courts, voting and town meetings).

Public Accommodations and Services (Title III) – Requires places of public accommodation to meet architectural accessibility standards for new and altered buildings and remove barriers in existing buildings where such removal is readily achievable; make reasonable modifications to policies, practices and procedures; provide effective communication mechanisms for people with hearing, vision or speech disabilities; and other access requirements.

Artist Residency – Community arts programming that reaches audiences in an extended learning event and has a lasting impact on the community. Workshops, lectures, master classes and seminars may all be part of an artist’s residency activities. A good residency should include interpretive materials such as teachers’ guides and student learning packets and demonstrate focused preparation by both the artist and presenter. A residency lasts over a period of 3 days or more.

Artistic Merit – The demonstrated excellence of the artist, company or group.

Arts Education – Education that fosters an understanding of, and provides opportunities to participate in, the visual, performing, literary or media arts.

Block Booking – Two or more presenters working together to bring an artist or group to their communities in a coordinated tour that allows the artist(s) to go from one community to the other without a gap in performance dates. This allows the presenters to save on travel costs for the artist(s) and allows the artist(s) to build a tour with multiple dates.

Community Outreach – The ability of the presenter to identify underserved groups in its community, involve these groups in project planning and marketing, and publicize the project to targeted, underserved populations and the general public.

Consultant – An expert, having special skill and knowledge derived from training and experience, who provides professional advice or services.

Education/Outreach Component – A learning event that has a lasting impact upon the audience (e.g., workshops, lectures and master classes). The educational/outreach component is an integral part of the engagement and should be carefully planned. A meaningful educational component should involve concentrated preparation by the artist(s) and presenter. The artist(s)/company must conduct the educational activity.

In-Kind Contributions – All non-cash contributions provided to the grantee for the project. These contributions may be in the form of charges for real property and non-expendable personal property and the value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable with the project or program. The basis for the valuation of personal services, material, equipment, buildings, and land must be fair market value and documented. This includes all such goods and services provided to the grantee by a third party in lieu of a cash contribution. 

International Project – (as it applies as a descriptor in these guidelines) Programs or activities supporting any of the following: grantees visiting other countries, foreign artists visiting the USA, any cultural exchange program, linkages with artists or institutions in other countries, or establish/administering international programs in your own agency.

Lecture/Demonstration – A residency activity that serves an audience of interested individuals, not necessarily students of the art form being presented. In addition, lecture/demonstrations may be offered during school assemblies.

Master Class – A residency activity intended to serve serious students of the art form being presented. Typically a master class is limited to 15 students or less and involves hands-on instruction by the professional artist.

Presenter – An organization or agency that engages and presents touring performing artists to perform works produced elsewhere. For college, university and other school-based presenters, individual departments are not considered separate presenters.

Presenting/Touring – Grants or services resulting in the movement of artists and artworks for performances, readings, screenings, exhibits, etc., in different geographic areas.

Professional Performance – A public performance that showcases artists who are paid professionals and have been contracted to perform based upon their outstanding level of artistic quality. A performance by unpaid community members and/or untrained amateur performers would not be considered a professional performance for the purposes of the guidelines, even if they have worked in collaboration with professional artists.

Public Performance – A performance is considered "public" when the work is performed in a “place open to the public and at a place where a substantial number of persons outside of the normal circle of clients can participate.” The performance must be marketed and accessible, in both time and place, to the general public. NOTE: Performances at conferences, and school-focused performances (primarily engaging students, whether taking place at the school, or a performance venue) will not be considered public performances.

Technical Assistance – Specialized assistance given on a particular subject.

Technology Project – (as it applies as a descriptor in these guidelines) Grants or services using technology for the creation or dissemination of artworks, or using technology for organizational management purposes.

Underserved Community – Those communities in which people lack arts programs, services, or resources due to geography, economic conditions, cultural background, socio-political circumstances, disability, age or other demonstrable factors. The term “community” can refer to a group of people with a common heritage or characteristics, whether or not living in the same location.

Youth At-Risk Project – (as it applies as a descriptor in these guidelines) Grants or services designed primarily to serve at-risk youth. Includes arts-related intervention programs (for violence, drug/alcohol abuse and crime) as well as other creative programming specifically involving at-risk youth as primary project participants or beneficiaries.