Accessibility, art, and culture: takeaways from our webinar

Key Takeaways from our Conversation on Accessibility, Art, and Culture

Our webinar on January 21st was another exciting, educational moment for our team and all the attendees who spent time engaging with us in the chat and Q&A.

The webinar, hosted by Emma Shaw, Community and Impact Lead at Tilting the Lens, explored the topic of accessibility in art and culture. Our speakers were Natalie Kane from the V&A Museum (Victoria & Albert) in London and Siddhant Shah from Access for All in India.

Siddhant joined us live from the Coldplay concert in Mumbai, where he and his team were working hard to make the event as accessible as possible—a fantastic real-time example of accessibility in action.

The conversation highlighted the importance of understanding, rest, inclusion, and funding in advancing accessibility initiatives. There was also a strong focus on embracing a global and intersectional perspective to foster meaningful change.

Speakers:

• Natalie Kane offered a brief insight into the V&A’s upcoming Design & Disability exhibition, which celebrates disabled creativity and production.
• Siddhant Shah showcased Access for All’s impactful work in India, including the creation of inclusive libraries and efforts to enhance accessibility at art fairs and beyond.

Both speakers underscored the vital role of community engagement, the use of digital tools, and the power of collaboration in creating an arts and culture sector that is truly inclusive and accessible for all.

Siddhant spoke about the part of his work that brings him joy in his work. “I think the fact that people feel like art and art spaces are for them, too. That feeling that they face, when they come to the museum and we have been able to make the space more inclusive and accessible through design, I think that moment is quite joyful. Being able to give people the confidence that the museum also belongs to them, that they are an equal stakeholder of the museum.”

1. The Significance and Benefits of Prioritising Disabled Production and Creativity

Emphasising the creativity and contributions of disabled individuals is vital for several reasons. It brings forth innovation, unique perspectives, and lived experiences that challenge conventional thinking and pave the way for groundbreaking ideas. Prioritising disabled people’s artistic practices also enriches our cultural landscape, showcasing the diversity of human experiences and fostering empathy across communities.

Natalie spoke about the approach to the upcoming exhibition, Design & Disability at the V&A Museum – “There are so many interesting stories of people who have done incredible work to get us where we are now. And we wanted to pull out really interesting themes and conversations and methodologies and those kinds of things. So, we really want to arrive at a place of joy and power and reinvention.”

Incorporating disabled voices when designing cultural spaces is just as important. This means understanding the value of rest and inclusivity, which not only benefit disabled individuals but enhance the experience for all visitors. Organisations can achieve this by thoughtfully integrating:

• Comfortable seating arrangements: Allowing guests to pause, rest, and recharge while enjoying the space.
• Designated quiet areas: Creating tranquil retreats where individuals can reflect on their experiences without distractions.
• Flexible pacing in programmes: Accommodating diverse needs to ensure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can engage fully and comfortably.

By embracing these practices, cultural spaces can become more inclusive, welcoming, and accessible, allowing everyone to participate, create, and thrive.

2. Expand Accessibility Beyond the Physical Space

Accessibility in arts and culture isn’t limited to physical exhibition spaces. Digital tools such as audio descriptions, visual captioning, and sign language interpretation can significantly enhance access to cultural experiences. These tools empower individuals who cannot physically visit exhibitions to engage with art from the comfort of their own homes.

For example, online curator tours provide an ideal platform for incorporating these features. Virtual tours hosted on websites can include:

• Audio narratives to explain the artwork for those who are Blind or have low vision. Great examples can be found on the Guggenheim.org
• Visual captions to ensure important information is accessible to those who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
• Sign language interpretation to enrich the experience for Deaf individuals.

In addition, offering background resources like interviews, articles, and other multimedia content can deepen the audience’s understanding of the artwork.

By prioritising digital accessibility tools, cultural spaces can foster inclusivity, ensuring that everyone, has the opportunity to connect with and enjoy art and culture.

Why not… Enjoy the artworks of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea from your home with a virtual curator tour! Accessibility benefits everybody.

3. Breaking Barriers for Disabled Artists in Arts and Culture

The arts and culture sector shapes our worldview, yet disabled people face significant challenges to participation, especially in non-Western countries.

Siddhant spoke about a residency partnership between the UK and India and highlighted the differences in support between the two regions – “Artists in the UK, they had support from the Government, in terms of having a Sign Language Interpreter, having a scribe writer. But in India we had to pay for all these facilities and that went out from the grant money. So that just puts in perspective that of course, we are growing a day at a time but it is still very different when you answer the question on the two sides.”

Key Barriers:

• Accessibility: Many venues lack essential infrastructure like ramps, accessible restrooms, and adaptive technologies such as sign language interpreters.
• Cultural stigma: Negative attitudes often marginalise disabled artists, limiting their visibility.
• Economic constraints: Limited funding and limited training or mentorship opportunities hinder career growth.

Despite these obstacles, advocacy and community-driven projects are driving positive change. Collaborative efforts between artists, cultural institutions, and disability rights organisations are creating more inclusive spaces.

Steps Toward Inclusion:

• Increase accessible funding for disabled artists.
• Provide training on disability awareness for cultural professionals.
• Create mentorships and welcoming programmes to support diverse talent.

By addressing these challenges, we can ensure disabled voices are celebrated, enriching arts and culture for all.

Artists to know:

Bella Milroy

Finnegan Shannon and Bojana Coklyat, who did Alt Text as Poetry

Janet Cardiff

Jonny Cotsen