accessibility of arts

The Arts Education for All Act: A Catalyst for STEAM Education

The Arts Education for All Act: A Catalyst for STEAM Education

The demand for STEM practitioners is growing in tandem with the demand for workers who are equipped to think about their social and ethical aspects. The intrinsic values of the arts, such as empathy, community, and imagination, combined with the logic of the STEM model, create a more well-rounded experience for youth. Agnes Chaves, a new media artist and founder of STEMarts Lab, advocates for the idea that STEAM education practices allow students to understand the ethics behind new technologies and their impact on nature and humanity when approaching a problem. Particularly for larger societal problems such as digital inequity, it’s crucial that students perceive themselves as caretakers of the planet and global citizens.

Open Access and Why it Matters in the Museum Space

Open Access and Why it Matters in the Museum Space

Amidst Covid-19, many museums moved to sharing collections and exhibitions virtually. However, even before Covid, museums began sharing their collections in a virtual, accessible manner with Open Access. It is estimated that nearly 1,000 cultural heritage institutions world-wide have published some or all of their collections with Open Access usage. While Open Access exists in other industries, such as in libraries, this article focuses on the context of Open Access in the museum space.

Arts Vibrancy and Digital Access: Part 2

Arts Vibrancy and Digital Access: Part 2

Part one of this research looked at the relationship between broadband deployment and arts vibrancy in the United States, focusing on Texas. This article examines factors that are driving the digital divide and relatively low arts vibrancy in two counties on the Texas-Mexico border and how that could inform policies in the United States as a whole.

Part 2: Digital Access and Arts Vibrancy

Part 2: Digital Access and Arts Vibrancy

Access to the arts is not even across the United States. The ways that people living in rural areas access artistic content differs from how people participate in urban centers. Additionally, as the sector is beginning to grapple with, access to the arts varies across racial and ethnic groups. Comparing county-level arts vibrancy data is one way to detect these patterns. While the number of dollars put into the arts in the form of compensation and expenses seems to be the best predictor of overall arts vibrancy, implementing municipal WiFi appears to be an opportunity for growth since analysis indicates that it can increase arts vibrancy.

Digital Inequity in the Arts: Part 1

Digital Inequity in the Arts: Part 1

The coronavirus pandemic has changed everything we assumed about the world. Everything that once seemed impossible to ask for in terms of public policy is now possible, including rent suspension, eviction moratoriums, and universal basic income. But, it has also revealed inequities, including who has access to the arts. This project, published in two parts, evaluates racial equity through the lens of the arts sector during the Covid-19 pandemic by asking the questions: who has access to the arts and, fundamentally, what does access look like?

#TBT: Accessibility in the Arts

This past year, contributor Kate Tsai gave us several fantastic articles about accommodating disabilities for arts non-profits. It really seemed to interest our readers so we wanted to re-post some of the Kate's best articles, and remind our audience of a few past gems as well.

First Kate gave us a fantastic infographic about many different types of impairments and disabilities that can create barriers when interacting with an arts organization. In addition, she walked us through 6 quick ways to adjust websites, making them more readable and clear for audiences of all kinds. 

Some of our most well-read accessibility articles center on technology for museums. In the spirit of other brief overviews. In 2016, contributor Christine Nolan showed audiences just which technologies can contribute to a more accessible and audience-friendly museum experience. 

 

5 Technologies with the Potential to Enhance the Museum Experience

In the same vein, contributor Stephanie Sun wrote about 5 technologies that give audiences ways to connect differently with the arts experience. Although these weren't highlighted directly as opportunities to improve accessibility in Museums, they are all opportunities in these areas. For instance, 3-D scanning has made it possible for Museums to create touchable replicas for people with vision impairment. What are some other applications of these technologies that open doors for improved accessibility. 

Opening Doors

Museums are not the only ones looking to accommodate a wider range of audiences. Contributor Christine Sajewski writes a two-part piece on what sensory-friendly performances are and how they are implemented effectively in the field. The first part focuses on the 'what' and the second part focuses on the 'how'.

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