Supporting Transitions: Cultural Connections for Adults with Autism

23 May Supporting Transitions: Cultural Connections for Adults with Autism

What is Supporting Transitions?

Supporting Transitions is a project that seeks to increase opportunities at cultural organizations for adults on the autism spectrum. The Museum, Arts and Culture Access Consortium (MAC) has noticed that while cultural programming for school age children with autism has seen great advancement, there is still a gap in cultural opportunities for adults with autism. MAC’s goals for the project are to increase cultural opportunities for adults with autism by creating tools and resources to share best practices, assisting new cultural programs for adults on the autism spectrum, and supporting the hiring of adults with autism as employees, interns, and volunteers.

How can MAC help? 

MAC has a strong network of partners dedicated to the Supporting Transitions project who are ready to work with cultural organizations on new initiatives. Through the Supporting Transitions working group, many autism support organizations have not only shared valuable information but stand at the ready to collaborate with cultural organizations to increase opportunities for the adults with autism with whom they work. MAC will help connect cultural organizations with the autism community and provide tools and resources to support the work.

Why is Supporting Transitions important?

Adults with autism represent a large portion of our population and are a significant potential audience for cultural organizations. As many organizations engage in diversity initiatives, we urge them to remember that diversity includes disability. Adults with autism are eager to engage in cultural opportunities and can make unique contributions to these organizations.

Resources to Explore: 

For Jobseekers: Cultural Organization Information Resource

For Cultural Organizations: Engaging Individuals in Residential Settings and Regular Day Habilitation Participants with Virtual Activities 

For Cultural Organizations: Making Internships Accessible:  Best Practices and Quick Tips

For Cultural Organizations: Supporting Transitions Case Studies

For Cultural Organizations: Supporting Adults with Autism in Transition

For Cultural Organizations: Supporting Employment of Adults with Autism

For Cultural Organizations: Cultural Organization Information Resource

Workshop Documentation: Supporting Transitions – Cultural Connections for Adults with Autism

Conference Presentation: Kennedy Center LEAD 2017

Conference Presentation: American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting and Expo

Additional Resources

If you have any questions about the Supporting Transitions project, please contact the project leader at

stprojectleadermac@gmail.com.

Through the Supporting Transitions project, MAC is working with several cultural sites to develop internship experiences for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Our 2020-2021 partner sites are: 

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Groundswell Community Mural Project 

Broken Box Mime Theater

BEAT Global 

Little Island

The Whitney Museum of American Art

Our 2019-2020 partner sites were:

Roundabout Theatre Company

Atlantic Theater Company

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

Story Pirates

The New Victory Theater

2018-2019 sites were: 

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Roundabout Theatre Company

Atlantic Theater Company

The National September 11 Memorial & Museum

The Whitney Museum

The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden

This VSA program is provided in 2018-2019 under a contract with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.