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 resources to assist arts organizations in making accommodations. Please visit the Endowment's Web site at www.arts.gov/resources/Accessibility/index.html.

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 Web site 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 Excellence – The demonstrated excellence of the artist, company or group.

Artistic Merit – The quality of the proposed project.

Arts Education/Arts Learning – Education activities and projects that are sustained over a period of time to provide learners with in-depth knowledge and participation in the visual, performing, literary, or traditional arts. Arts Education can involve adults as well as young people; for K-12 students, arts education activities often connect to state and national standards in the arts and other required curriculum areas.

Audience Discussion – A discussion held between the artist(s) and audience, usually before or after a public performance or reading. This activity should give the audience an opportunity to ask questions, and obtain a further understanding and appreciation of the art form being presented.

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.

Lecture/Demonstration – An activity in which an artist or artist ensemble provides examples and explanation of their art form to an audience of interested individuals, not necessarily students of the art form being presented. Lecture/ demonstrations may be formally staged or as a less structured activity in a small space, and may be interactive.

Master Class – A class, given by the artist(s), in which students (K-12, college, or adult) of a particular discipline are instructed by an expert of that discipline. Typically a master class is limited to 15 students or less and involves hands-on instruction by the professional artist.

Open Rehearsal/Studio – An opportunity for visitors and patrons to observe a rehearsal of the performing artist(s) or to observe the writer at work in a studio/office space. This activity should provide insight into the creation and preparation of a performance/reading, and the art form that is being presented.

Participants – Members of the community who attend public performances/readings and/or who participate in educational activities.

Presenter – An organization or agency that engages and presents touring performing and/or literary artists to perform works produced elsewhere. For college, university and other school-based presenters, individual departments are not considered separate presenters. A producing organization is not considered a presenter when a guest artist is contracted to perform with their company.

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

Public Performance/Reading – A performing/literary artist or artist ensemble engagement that is open and promoted to the general public. A performance/reading is considered "public" when the work is presented 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/reading must be marketed and accessible, in both time and place, to the general public. NOTE: Performances/readings at conferences, and school-focused performances/readings (primarily engaging students, whether taking place at the school, or a performance venue) will not be considered public performances/readings.

Technical Assistance – Specialized assistance given on a particular subject.

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.

Value – The benefits which the individual participants and the community derive from the project. Value can be intrinsic – aesthetic, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, etc.; and can be instrumental – building community and social capital, providing economic development, impacting student achievement, etc.

Workshop – An activity provided by an artist or artist ensemble, which provides hands-on training to a group in a particular art form. Workshops may be one-time, or may consist of multiple engagements over a series of days of an artist's residency. Workshops often have a particular focus, or learning objective.