access

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Access Issues

Securing equality of access to museums and galleries is an ongoing concern of the organisation. Our approach is aimed at securing access which meets the variety of needs and interests of the individual; and establishes as routine access on a par with sighted visitors. Work to achieve this goal includes acting as consultants, participation in research, focus groups, conferences, seminars and working directly in partnership with galleries to deliver activities.

Members of Art Through Touch have worked in an advisory capacity to the Tate Modern, the British Museum, the National Gallery and Brunel University. We are holding a series of ongoing talks entitled 'My Right To Art' which concentrate on the issues surrounding access to art for visually impaired people.

Our talks so far have brought together Heads of Sculpture and Conservation departments from major galleries and museums in and around London. We have invited them to discuss with us blind and visually impaired people's right to access art under the new Disability Discrimination Act and how this can be put into practice. Our particular interest is on the issues around touch as the primary means of experiencing art in museums and galleries. Areas of discussion on these issues have included the following:

Conservation issues in relation to touch.
Balancing access with conservation.
Possible means of protecting sculpture and artefacts which will allow them to be handled.
Criteria used and the decision making process in deciding what is available for handling.
Comparative approaches to touch in different museums and galleries.
Recent experiences of visually impaired people in accessing art with touch.

We hope that these talks will high light for professionals working in galleries and museums the needs and rights of visually impaired people to access art, particularly in relation to handling exhibits. Hopefully we will influence them to consider future expansion of what is available to touch in museums and galleries.

Transcripts from both 'My Right To Art' talks are now available to order from Art Through Touch either in print or CD. Cost £10. Please contact Steve Webber on the addresses on home page or email.

Recent Access Events

ART TALK/SEMINAR: New approaches to access and interpretation in museums and galleries for visually impaired people.
Held at Wandsworth Museum, 11 Garratt Lane, London SW18

This special event focused on innovative approaches to opening up collections and exhibitions in an inclusive and integrated way. Themes included online cultural access, audio description, multi sensory access, Government Policy and funding.

Session one: New Modes of access and Interpretation.

Speakers:
Amanda Phillips - Education Officer, Leeds City Art Gallery
Miho Suganami - Artist
Faisal Abduallah - Artist

Session two:
Online Cultural Access, Audio Description, DCMS Policy and Funding, Survey of attitudes to attendance in Galleries, Museums and Heritage Sites.

Speakers:
Martin Linton MP
Marcus Weisen - Disability Development Officer Re:source: The Council for Museums and Libraries
Sally Booth - artist
Andrew Holland/Caire Stewart - VOCAL EYES.

This event was funded by: Action for Blind People, RNIB, The Miles Trust for Putney and Roehampton Community, Wandsworth Borough Council and in partnership with SHAPE London. This event was part of the Wandsworth Arts Festival 2002.