Schedule
AGENDA AT A GLANCEFULL AGENDA - SUNDAY, AUGUST 2
FULL AGENDA - MONDAY, AUGUST 3
FULL AGENDA - TUESDAY, AUGUST 4
FULL AGENDA - WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5
FULL AGENDA - THURSDAY, AUGUST 6
FULL AGENDA - FRIDAY, AUGUST 7
Agenda at a Glance
Please see full agenda for complete details.
Sunday, August 2
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Capacity Building Workshops
Monday, August 3
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Capacity Building Workshops
Tuesday, August 4
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Pre-Conference Workshops
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Capacity Building Workshops
1:30 p.m to 5:30 p.m. – Pre-Conference Workshops
7:30 p.m. – Once at the Kennedy Center
Wednesday, August 5
9:00 a.m. – Registration
9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. – Welcome and a Call to Action
11:00 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. – Snapshot Sessions
12:05 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. – Lunch
1:15 to 5:30 p.m. – Sessions, Workshops, and Affinity Groups
7:00 p.m. – Opening Reception at the Newseum
Thursday, August 6
8:00 a.m. – Registration
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. – Breakfast Meet-ups
9:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. –Sessions and Workshops
12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. – Lunch
1:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. – Pecha Kucha
1:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. – Sessions, Workshops, and Affinity Groups
7:00 p.m. – Dine-Arounds
Friday, August 7
9:00 a.m. – Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. –Sessions and Workshops
12:15 to 1:15 p.m. – Lunch
1:00 to 1:15 p.m. – Pecha Kucha
1:45 to 6:00 p.m. – Sessions, Workshops, and Affinity Groups
7:00 p.m. – LEAD Awards Dinner at the Kennedy Center
Full Agenda
Sunday, August 2
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Capacity Building Workshops:
Audio Description Training: Two Days in Two Ways - FULL WORKSHOPNewseum | 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW | Washington, DC
Registration Fee: $425.00
- Ruth Feldman, Founder/CEO, Access4Arts; Founder, Audio Description Coaltion
- Deborah Lewis, Vice President, Audio Description Solutions
Developing Audio Description Skills - Day 1 ONLY
Newseum | 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW | Washington, DC
Registration Fee: $275.00 per person
Day 1 begins at the beginning for those both new to audio description as well as those looking to refresh and expand their basic skills. Working in small groups, participants will learn the practical application of the core skills through participatory exercises, lectures, and demonstrations in a shared setting. At the conclusion of Day 1, attendees will be ready to further develop their skills as beginning describers. Attending the 2nd workshop day is strongly recommended as part of that process. Attending the 2nd workshop day is strongly recommended as part of that process.
- Ruth Feldman, Founder/CEO, Access4Arts; Founder, Audio Description Coaltion
- Deborah Lewis, Vice President, Audio Description Solutions
Monday, August 3
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Capacity Building Workshops:
Audio Description Training: Two Days in Two Ways - FULL WORKSHOPDay 2 for registrants who signed up for the full workshop. (See Sunday, August 2 for complete details.)
- Ruth Feldman, Founder/CEO, Access4Arts; Founder, Audio Description Coalition
- Deborah Lewis, Vice President, Audio Description Solutions
Newseum | 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW | Washington, DC
Registration fee: $275.00
Day 2 is designed for both participants from the first day of training and those currently describing. Participants will be divided up according to their primary discipline interest (visual, museum/exhibit and live performance) and spend the day applying the “3 Core Skills” through active audio description and shared feedback in extended practice sessions.
- Ruth Feldman, Founder/CEO, Access4Arts; Founder, Audio Description Coailtion
- Deborah Lewis, Vice President, Audio Description Solutions
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Capacity Building Workshop:
Developing Multisensory Strategies to Engage All Audiences
National Gallery of Art | 6th and Constitution NW | Washington, DC
Registration fee: $275.00 per person
This session will guide participants through a series of experiential workshops, each engaging a specific sense or modality. After much discussion and hands-on experience, participants will leave equipped with tools and strategies to implement multi-sensory elements in the galleries and the classroom that will benefit all learners. Workshop participants should come prepared for an intensive but fun day. Handouts will be provided, along with a CD full of useful reference material. However, we recommended you bring a notebook, iPad, recorder, sketchbook or whatever your preferred method for making notes, brainstorming, and working through problems as we experiment with various multi-sensory strategies and learn how they might be used with diverse audiences.
- Hannah Goodwin, Accessibility Manager, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
- Annie Leist, Independent Consultant, @artaccessannie and Special Projects Lead, Art Beyond Sight
- Rebecca McGinnis, Museum Educator and Access Coordinator, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Tuesday, August 4
8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Pre-Conference Workshops:
A New Era in Ticketing
Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel | 2800 S. Potomac Avenue | Arlington, VA
The ADA regulations that apply to cultural arts organizations have a complicated section on ticketing policy. Join us to review the regulations, discuss best practices for implementing the regulations and be part of the conversation about the many facets of good accessible ticketing policies - including pricing, hold and release policies, ticket exchanges and transfers, and the online sale of accessible seats.
- Kathy Gips, Director of Training, New England ADA Center
- Betty Siegel, Director of VSA and Accessibility, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
ADA and the Cultural Arts
Harman Center for the Arts | 610 F Street NW | Washington, DC
Start your LEAD experience with a comprehensive introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Discover how the ADA applies to cultural arts organizations in the areas of employment, participation in programs and services, effective communication, and facility access. Learn about ADA compliance and creative ways to leverage compliance to draw in new visitors and patrons. This session will include a lot of question and answer segments and small group work.
- Marian Vessels, Director, Mid-Atlantic ADA Center
- Stacey Kernisan, Training Specialist, Mid-Atlantic ADA Center
Going the Extra Mile: How to Make the Theatre Experience More Enjoyable and Accessible for the Deaf/Hard of Hearing Audience
Harman Center for the Arts | 610 F Street NW | Washington, DC
Theater accessibility for people who are deaf often revolves around questions on the art of interpretation and its purpose. This pre-conference workshop is designed to delve into the steps of marketing, funding, coordinating interpreted shows, and how to develop a partnership with the Deaf/Hard of Hearing communities.
- Aaron Kubey, Director, Fourth Wall Gone
- Bonnie Kaplan, Cultural Inclusion Director, VSA Massachusetts
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. – Capacity Building Workshop:
National Endowment for the Arts | 400 7th Street SW | Washington, DC
The National Endowment for the Arts invites State Arts Agency (SAA) and Regional Arts Organization (RAO) Accessibility Coordinators to attend a peer session to share ideas and learn from experts. You will also learn about resources and build connections to help you facilitate access to cultural events, programs, and activities for all audiences throughout your state. Topics will include policies and guidelines for grantee accessibility, the latest updates on electronic accessibility for arts organizations, and strategies for establishing relevant partnerships. Open to SAA and RAO Accessibility Coordinators.
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – Pre-Conference Workshops:
Digita11y: Accessibility in the Mobile Age
National Museum of American History | 14th and Constitution NW | Washington, DC
Join us for an engaging workshop about the best practices in accessible app design for cultural institutions and an opportunity to contribute to the Digita11y Project. Digia11y is a collaborative effort to create a free open source app for cultural institutions (large and small) in order to increase access to cultural information for people who are blind or low vision. The discussion will cover issues around crowdsourcing content, bringing your own device, location-based information, developing accessible content, and more. Together we’ll experiment with Digita11y in the galleries and discuss future methods and challenges for creating accessible mobile experiences in cultural institutions. Outcomes: leave with two ideas for making digital content accessible at your own institution; enhance your understanding of innovative approaches to making cultural experiences accessible to audiences with a range of abilities; contribute to a working list of examples and guiding principles for 21st-century mobile accessibility.
- Emily Fry, Peabody Essex Museum
- Beth Ziebarth, Smithsonian Institution Accessibility Program
12:00 to 1:30 p.m. – Lunch on your own
1:30 to 5:30 p.m. – Pre-Conference Workshops
There is an additional registration fee of $95.00 per person per pre-conference workshop.Accessibility Planning: The Key to Successful Inclusion
Harman Center for the Arts | 610 F Street NW | Washington, DC
In this ½ day session, participants will have the opportunity to understand the need for and how to develop a comprehensive ADA/Accessibility plan. Accessibility begins with policies and organizational buy-in from every department – from the Board of Directions to the house staff and ushers. Without a comprehensive plan, true accessibility is disjointed and difficult to achieve. This session will ask participants to look at each department of their organization and how those departments impact the access efforts of the organization. Sample plans will be provided, these will serve as framework and outline for developing a comprehensive plan.
- Beth Prevor, Executive Director, Hands On
- John McEwen, Executive Director, NJ Theatre Alliance
Harman Center for the Arts | 610 F Street NW | Washington, DC
This session will provide participants the opportunity to share their experience, expertise, and/or missing knowledge related to staff training through experiential situations, which will in turn serve as a catalyst for discussion and learning around best practices.
- Ruth Feldman, Founder/CEO, Access4Arts
- Eileen Bagnall, Director, VSA Arizona
You Can't Buy Love, But You Can Buy Web Accessibility
Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel | 2800 S. Potomac Avenue | Arlington, VA
Access to web-based information and applications has never been more important. But many are unaware of the power they have to ensure web accessibility regardless of their organizational role or programming skill set. This course will provide an overview of global standards of web accessibility, how to use them, and how to integrate them into purchasing requirements and web site and application development timelines. Bring a laptop if you want to do practical hands-on exercises or just sit back and watch demos of easy to use free tools. You will leave with a greater understanding of what it means for sites and apps to be accessible, how to test, and how to communicate your needs to internal development teams or external vendors.
- Katie Haritos-Shea, Board Member, Knowbility
Making Buildings Accessible – Going Beyond Minimum Requirements for Historic and New Buildings
Ford's Theatre | 514 Tenth Street, NW | Washington, DC
Despite what many think, the phrase “accessible historic property” is not an oxymoron. Arts and cultural organizations housed in historic buildings have obligations both to preserve historically significant elements and to make their programming and facilities accessible to people with disabilities. During this workshop, presenters will review the requirements for historic properties and demonstrate the balance that can be achieved between preservation. We will also have the opportunity to see some of the planning for the new National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall. Real life examples of historic buildings will include updates to exhibit and auditorium spaces at the National Academy of Sciences, and recent changes at Ford’s Theatre. The workshop will conclude with a tour of the recently renovated spaces at Ford’s Theatre.
- Allison Alonzy, Ford’s Theatre
- Sharon Park, Smithsonian Institution
- Leora Mirvish, Quinn Evans Architects
- Brenda Sanchez, Smithsonian Institution
6:30 p.m. – Boxed Dinner before the Show
The Kennedy Center, Terrace Gallery2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
Boxed Dinner: $15
Boxed Dinners before the show are now SOLD OUT. For additional dining choices, the KC Café will be open until 8:00 p.m. You are welcome to bring food purchased from the KC Café to the Terrace Gallery to eat with the other attendees.
7:30 p.m. – Once
The Kennedy Center, Eisenhower Theater2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
Tickets: $60
Winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Once is a truly original Broadway experience. Featuring an impressive ensemble of actor/musicians who play their own instruments onstage, Once tells the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician who's about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to powerful new heights--but their unlikely connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance.
We are no longer accepting reservations for Once tickets. Please contact the Box Office at 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org for information on ticket availability.
If you purchased ticket(s) in advance, they will be available at will call in the Kennedy Center's Box Office in the Hall of States the day of the event.
Wheelchair accessible seating and Assistive Listening Devices are available. Performance will be sign-interpreted, open captioned, and audio described. Braille and Large Print programs will be available. Parental advisory due to adult language. Performance timing 1 hour 15 minutes, with one 18 minute intermission.
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Wednesday, August 5
All events will take place at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View unless otherwise noted.8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. - Registration
Pre-Function Area
8:30 to 10:00 a.m. - Continental Breakfast
Ballroom
9:30 to 10:45 a.m. - Welcome and A Call to Action
Ballroom
Presenters:
- Tommy Edison, Blind Film Critic
- Talleri McRae, Theatre Access, Inclusion, Education Consulting
Facilitator: Betty Siegel, Director of VSA & Accessibility, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
10:45 to 11:00 a.m. - Break
11:00 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. - Snapshot Sessions
Ballroom
We’ll break up into small groups for three sets of 15-minute talks on a variety of topics! Each snapshot will repeat.
Round 1: 11:00 to 11:15 a.m.
Switch! 11:15 to 11:25 a.m.
Round 2: 11:25 to 11:40
Switch! 11:40 to 11:50 a.m.
Round 3: 11:50 to 12:05 p.m.
A list of topics will be available at the registration table and at the start of the Snapshot sessions.
12:05 to 1:00 p.m.- Lunch & Announcements
Ballroom
1:15 to 5:15 p.m. – The LEAD Lounge
Studio C
Stop by our lounge to connect with others!
1:15 to 2:30 p.m. – Concurrent Sessions:
Creating a Staff Training Plan for Access and Inclusion
Ballroom
Customer Service & Staff Training
Learn how to create a low-cost, ongoing staff training plan for access and inclusion for all staff. How do you identify who within your organization needs what type of training? What is your staff’s comfort level when engaging with people with disabilities? Are there training resources in your community? How do you prioritize the various training topics? Where do you begin? Presenter will provide you with the tools needed to answer these questions and help you create your own training plan.
Presenter:
- Lynn Walsh, Co-Chair, Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium
Facilitator: Carol Krueger, Theatre Services Manager, Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Salon 5
Accessibility Services & Programs
Join state, regional, and federal arts agencies to learn about funding and partnership opportunities for cultural programming and accessibility. Following brief "flash" presentations highlighting their accessibility programs and resources, representatives from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and state and regional arts agency staff will be on hand to answer questions about funding opportunities, resources, partnership opportunities, and legal requirements for accessibility. Join us for this opportunity to speak one-on-one with state, regional, and NEA representatives in a "meet your arts agency" session.
Presenter:
- Beth Bienvenu, Accessibility Director, National Endowment for the Arts
Facilitator: Eileen Bagnall, Director, VSA Arizona
Studio B
Accessibility Services & Programs
A thorough look at the history and purpose of these specialist performances and the impact on venues, audiences and art.
Presenter:
- Kirsty Hoyle, Director, Include Arts
Accessibility and the Historic Environment
Studio D
Accessibility Services & Programs
Historic environments are valued by many people for their significance and diversity. The design and location of many of these environments can make it difficult to enable access for everyone who wants to visit them, now that many have become publicly accessible spaces. This session will show how these environments can be accessible for people with disabilities. The discussion will use detailed examples of historic properties working with people with disabilities in their development to become ‘heritage accessible for all’.
- Heather Smith, Access & Equality Specialist, National Trust
Basics: Introduction to Accessibility Law
Studio E
Basics
This session will provide an overview of the various laws that impact accessibility, discuss which apply to cultural arts organizations, and how to find more information.
Presenter:
- Robin Jones, Executive Director, Great Lakes ADA Center
The Artist Within: Supporting Individuals with Disabilities to Be Active Participants in the Arts
Studio F
Accessibility Services & Programs
Students with disabilities are one of the greatest underserved populations in the arts. Learn strategies for creating meaningful and enriching opportunities that include individuals with disabilities. This session will highlight a unique partnership model between a Bay Area theater company and local special education program.
Presenters:
- Heidi Seretan, Special Education Program Specialist, San Francisco Unified School District
- Elizabeth Brodersen, Director of Education & Community Programs, American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.)
2:30 to 2:45 p.m. - Break
2:45 to 4:00 p.m. – Concurrent Sessions:
Beginning a Local Access Knowledge NetworkBallroom
Policy, Planning & Buy-In
Creating a local knowledge network is a critical strategy to improve accessibility at cultural organizations in your area. Local knowledge networks provide training and teaching opportunities to cultural administrators and members from the disability community about legal obligations and best practices, and can strengthen organizations’ ties with one another. Leaders of networks in Chicago, Florida and New England will share their experiences of beginning and sustaining their groups, and allow for ample question and answer session.
Presenters:
- Christena Gunther, Community Programs Coordinator, Elmhurst Historical Museum
- Garry Novick, Senior Manager of Guest Services, Parker Playhouse
- Judy Litt, Director, Education and Community Engagement, Miami Theater Center
- Charles Baldwin, Marketing and Operations, Wheelock Family Theatre
When Risk Management and Policy Collide
Salon 5
Policy, Planning & Buy-In
Managers and front-line staff members of cultural venues are often asked to make split-second decisions involving a patron’s safety, security, comfort, or satisfaction. Many of these situations fall into legal “gray areas.” Managers who are informed about concepts of risk are more likely to make better management decisions. Applying risk management principles and practices to everyday patron situations can aid the manager in making the “right” decision for both the patron and the organization. Venue rules, policies, and even advertising can be a determinant in defining the access or customer experience a patron has a right to expect. In this interactive session, two experts who work on access issues for facilities and non-profit organizations will discuss strategies for best practices in risk management and institutional policy adherence as well as share ideas about how to craft an organization’s policies to support risk management goals.`
Presenters:
- John Grady, Associate Professor, University of South Carolina
- Anita Moorman, Professor, University of Louisville
Facilitator: Susan Duncan, Duncan Consulting
Studio B
Technology
Join Accessibility Partners for a session on the fundamentals of web and document accessibility. This engaging training session will focus on accessibility principles and techniques that can be deployed when creating and testing documents and web content for accessibility. Accessibility Partners has designed their recommendations around actual input of users and engineers with disabilities. They will provide practical, easy-to-apply suggestions that can dramatically increase the accessibility of your material, and increase its usage by people with disabilities. The training has been tailored to provide valid recommendations to developers on any level, as well as those who are just getting introduced to the fundamentals of accessibility.
Presenters:
- Dana Marlowe, Principal Partner, Accessibility Partners, LLC
- Sharon Rosenblatt, Accessibility Partners, LLC
Creating an Inclusive Exhibit Experience: The Case for the White House Visitor Center
Studio D
Policy, Planning & Buy-In
The White House Visitor Center underwent a $12.6 million renovation and reopened to the public in September 2014. A public private venture between the National Park Service and the White House Historical Association, the new exhibit space presents a variety of opportunities for children and adults, and families and individuals to explore the rich history of the White House and President’s Park.
This presentation will provide a guided tour of the various elements of the exhibit space and the why and how of their inclusion. The exhibit space offers insights into the White House architecture, furnishings, first family life as well as the social, ceremonial and work functions. Exhibits presented in multimodal ways including tactual experiences, audio description, and captioning accommodate the needs of a wide range of visitors. Interactives throughout the space, both high tech and low tech, are designed to engage the visitor in exploring the interior spaces of the White House and its historical facts and are complemented by audio description.
Presenter:
- Sherril York, Ph.D., Executive Director, National Center on Accessibility
Basics: Planning for Accessibility
Studio E
Basics
If you are starting an access program but are unsure of where to begin, this is the session for you! Presenters will take you step by step through the process of developing an access plan and provide you with tools to assess what you do and don’t have, methods for developing sound policies, and ways to get buy-in from the disability community and your colleagues.
Presenter:
- Betty Siegel, Director of VSA & Accessibility, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Respectful Accommodations in Youth Programming
Studio F
Accessibility Services & Programs
Making your program accessible to children with disabilities will require creative and responsive accommodations. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) addresses the necessity of making accommodations for children with disabilities so that they can participate in community programs. The workshop provides an insight into what constitutes a "respectful accommodation." Specific examples of accommodations for children who have various types of disabilities are included.
Presenter:
- Jeremy Crisp, Program Manager, Washington D.C. Metro Area, Kids Included Together
4:00 to 4:15 p.m. - Break
4:15 to 5:15 p.m. – Affinity Groups:
Wrap up the day with a facilitated small group discussion! This is a great opportunity to digest all of the information you’ve picked up throughout the day and bounce questions, concerns, and ideas off of colleagues who work in similar environments.Performing Arts Organizations
Ballroom
Facilitator: Diane Nutting, Director of Access and Inclusion, Imagination Stage
Exhibitions
Salon 5
Facilitator: Hannah Goodwin, Accessibility Manager, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
State Arts Agencies
Studio D
Facilitator: Beth Bienvenu, Director, National Endowment for the Arts
7:00 to 10:00 p.m. - Opening Reception
NewseumJoin us for the always-popular LEAD® Opening Night Reception where you can network and mingle with fellow conference attendees. This year’s reception will be held at the Newseum, where you’ll experience the stories of yesterday and today through the eyes of the media while celebrating the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans by the First Amendment. From the modern building located on historic Pennsylvania Avenue, to the state-of-the-art theaters, exhibits and hands-on activities located inside, your night at the Newseum visit shows why TripAdvisor users rated the Newseum as a “Traveler’s Choice Top 10 Museum in the U.S.” Cash bar and light fare will be provided.
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Thursday, August 6
All events will take place at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View unless otherwise noted.8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. – Registration
Pre-Function Area
8:00 to 9:00 a.m. – Breakfast Meet-ups
BallroomGet to know other LEAD-ers who are in your region at this informal breakfast gathering!
9:00 to 9:15 a.m. – Break
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. – The LEAD Lounge
Salon C
9:15 to 10:30 a.m. - Concurrent Sessions:
3D Printing Ballroom
Technology
3D Printing is a great tool for museum access: we can now digitally scan artifacts from collections and output them as physical models suitable for tactile examination, in cases when the original objects are too fragile, precious or large to be handled by the public. These methods are evolving and getting better and cheaper, and museums are developing new ways to interact with 3D-printed replicas. The presentation will explain this magical technology, and will include examples from the Smithsonian, San Diego Museum of Art and other exhibit spaces where universal access to collections is desired.
Presenter:
- Steve Landau, President, Touch Graphics, Inc.
Facilitator: Lorena Baines, Manager of Accessible Programs, National Gallery of Art
Room Monitor: Amanda Loerch, Manager of Patron Services, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Salon 5
Policy, Planning & Buy-In
Times are tough and arts organizations are struggling to find funding to support their programs. There’s no magic bullet but there are tools and techniques that will make your proposals and organization stand out in the crowd. This session will focus on practical tips for finding foundations and funders with missions that match that of your programs and initiatives and useful strategies for developing and maintaining relationships with foundations. And no session on fundraising would be complete without a discussion on the basics of grant writing. Find out how to make the most of your proposals and avoid common pitfalls.
Presenter:
- Marie Matson, Vice President of Development, The Kennedy Center
Facilitator: Rachel Arfa, Equip for Equality
Studio B
Customer Service & Staff Training
Hiring people with disabilities is sometimes easier said than done. This session will offer suggestions for reaching the disability community when hiring and then supporting the staff person once hired. We will discuss the various benefits to the organization when employing people with disabilities and also challenges that might arise.
Presenters:
- Lynn Walsh, Co-Chair, Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium
- Kelly Pavich, Employer Representative/National Trainer, Marriott Foundation-Bridges Program
Facilitator: Robin Jones, Executive Director, Great Lakes ADA Center
Studio D
Policy, Planning & Buy-In
Are you wondering how to make accessibility more of a priority at your organization, or would you like to learn how to create programs that meet the needs of a particular audience? If you answered yes to either question, this is the session for you! Learn how the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra mobilized staff, trustees, musicians, and community members to become more accessible to individuals with disabilities, and hear how the PSO designed and told the story of several programs, including a recent sensory-friendly orchestra performance. Once you’ve heard how things work in the music world, engage in activities to reflect on how you can apply similar principles to develop or enhance programs in your own community.
Presenters:
- Jessica Ryan, Manager of Education & Community Programs, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
- Gloria Mou, Director of Musician & Community Engagement Programs, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Room Monitor: Garry Novick, Senior Manager of Guest Services, Broward Center for the Performing Arts
Basics: Patrons and Visitors with Vision Loss
Studio E
Basics
This session will introduce you to the ins and outs of providing effective communication for patrons and visitors who are blind or have low vision. Discover how cultural organizations can make exhibitions and performances accessible using audio description, accessible labels, alternative formats for print materials, and more.
Presenters:
- Annie Leist, Independent Consultant, @artaccessannie and Special Projects Lead, Art Beyond Sight
- Michael Mooney, Independent Consultant
10:30 to 10:45 a.m. - Break
10:45 to 12:00 p.m. – Concurrent Sessions:
Building an Accessible Evaluation ProcessBallroom
Program Evaluation & Research
Whether you're starting from square one or looking to develop your existing practices, come learn tips and techniques for expanding approaches to evaluation and user testing. Presenters will talk about conducting accessibility testing in a variety of settings and contexts. This session will discuss ways evaluation and user testing can be applied to assess and improve the quality of accessibility initiatives. Participants will walk away with new resources that highlight information about practices discussed throughout the session.
Presenters:
- Leigh Ann Mesiti, Senior Research Assistant, Museum of Science, Boston
- Chris Hass, Senior Vice President of Experience Design, Mad*Pow
Room Monitor: Lorena Baines, Manager of Accessible Programs, National Gallery of Art
The Basics of Accessible Ticketing
Salon 5
Policy, Planning & Buy-In
When the 2010 Regulations went into effect, cultural arts organizations rolled out new policies to match but some questions still remain. What can you do to make sure that people who need accessible seats get them online? What are the things you need to think about when crafting your release policy for accessible locations? Join us for a facilitated discussion to examine creative solutions, unique challenges, and lingering questions.
Presenter:
- Betty Siegel, Director of VSA & Accessibility, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Room Monitor: Lew Michaels, Associate Director of Theatre Operations, Hartford Stage
Allyship and Intersectionality: Discussing Disability Today
Studio B
Outreach & Community Engagement
There is huge diversity within the population of people with disabilities both across demographics and across types of disability. Join presenters for an engaging conversation about what that means for arts organizations and their outreach efforts.
Presenters:
- Claudia Alick, Oregon Shakespeare Festival
- Talleri McRae, Theatre Access, Inclusion, Education Consulting
- Kate Langsdorf, Education Programs Manager, Ford's Theatre Society
On the UP & UP: The MCC's Universal Design Initiative, Inside and Out
Studio D
Customer Service & Staff Training
The Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) began its new Universal Design program, UP, by first going through an agency wide learning process and implementing its own internal accessibility initiative before asking UP Participants to do the same thing. In this session, MCC’s Executive Director and MCC staff will share what they learned, and what they are still learning, by fully embracing the organizational behaviors they hope to engender in their constituents – training for all, engaging user/experts, integrating a vision of accessibility, and tapping into creativity to solve problems. Participants will also break into small groups to discuss their challenges and successes as they promote and model the ideals of accessibility and inclusion internally and to their constituents.
Presenters:
- Anita Walker, Executive Director, Massachusetts Cultural Council
- Jen Lawless, , Massachusetts Cultural Council
- Ann Petruccelli, Communications Officer, Massachusetts Cultural Council
Basics: Access for Patrons and Visitors with Hearing Loss
Studio E
Basics
This session provides an introduction to the accommodations that make cultural arts organizations accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, including sign language interpreters, captioning, and assistive listening devices.
Presenter:
- Kay Ellis, Former Accessibility Manager, National Park Service
Empowering Change: Art and Dance for Parkinson’s
Studio F
Accessibility Services & Programs
How can visual and performing arts empower individuals living with Parkinson’s Disease? As many as one million Americans live with Parkinson’s and approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed each year. Similar to museum programs for individuals with dementia, arts based programming has valuable benefits for people with Parkinson’s Disease. Learn how museums and performing arts organizations have created partnerships and programs for this population and explore ways to engage with the community and begin a similar program. The audience will learn about Parkinson's Disease and findings about the benefits of improvisational movement as well as participate in movement based interactive activities.
Presenters:
- Rebecca Bradley, Accessibility Coordinator, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
- Christina Soriano, Associate Professor of Dance, Wake Forest University
- Lucy Bowen McCauley, Artistic Director, Dance instructor for "Dance for PD", Bowen McCauley Dance
- Marissa Clark, Accessible Programs Coordinator, Philadelphia Museum of Art
12:00 to 1:00 p.m. – Lunch
1:00 to 1:15 p.m. – Pecha Kucha
BallroomThese talks are short and sweet – each presenter will get four minutes max! – to share the work that they are doing with everyone at the conference.
Facilitator: Ray Bloomer, National Park Service
1:15 to 1:30 p.m. – Break
1:30 to 2:45 p.m. – Concurrent Sessions:
Improving access to visual arts at San Diego Museum of Art: tactile reinterpretations of masterpieces in the permanent collection Ballroom
Technology
The presentation will review outcomes of efforts at San Diego Museum of Art to improve visitior experiences foir those who are blind or who have low vision. Three projects will be discussed: a masterpiece of European art presented as an interactive 3D touchable display; a booklet of bas relief reproductions of 10 important pieces from the permanent collection; and a 3D-printed replica of an important sculpture that describes itself visitors touch it with fingers and hands.
Presenters:
- Steve Landau, President, Touch Graphics, Inc.
- Ruth Broudy, Manager of Docent Program, San Diego Museum of Art
Can you. . .?: Handling Challenging Inquiries and Requests
Salon 5
Policy, Planning & Buy-In
Come share the wildest requests your organization has ever received. Learn how to answer difficult questions and inquiries in an efficient, tactful manner.
Presenters:
- Jan Ingvalson, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Marie Clapot, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Evan Hatfield, Director of Audience Experience, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Room Monitor: Amanda Loerch, Manager of Patron Services, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Working with Aging Volunteers
Studio B
Policy, Planning & Buy-In
Staff at the National Center for Creative Aging have been working with LEAD participants to develop best practices for working with aging volunteers. Come to this session to find out the results of this multi-year project that used surveys, literature reviews, and focus groups to identify effective strategies for keeping older volunteers engaged.
Presenter:
- Gay Hanna, Executive Director, National Center on Creative Aging
Assistive Listening Systems: If We Could Do It, So Can You! Case Study from the Museum of Science
Studio D
Technology
The Museum of Science in Boston has recently installed a museum wide assistive listening system that functions at 7 separate theaters and stages. This system is complemented by a flexible, portable assistive listening system for situations that cannot be served by the permanently installed system. The process of researching, testing, installing, testing, training, testing, deploying and maintaining (and did we say testing?) the system was a complex one. Come learn from our experiences and see what these relatively low cost systems can do for your visitors!
Presenters:
- Nora Nagle, ADA and 504 Accessibility Coordinator, Museum of Science
- Maria Cabrera, Community Relations Manager, Museum of Science
Basics: Social, Learning, and Cognitive Disabilities
Studio E
Basics
This session is designed as an introduction to autism and the various challenges that individuals and families experience when visiting cultural institutions. Presenters will provide information and tips that can be applied to the design of sensory- and autism-friendly programming as well as make programs and facilities more accessible on an everyday basis.
Presenters:
- Roger I. Ideishi, JD, OT/L, FAOTA, Program Director & Associate Professor, Program in Occupational Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Temple University
- Jan Wintrol, CEO, The Ivymount Corporation
Building Bridges for Community Inclusion
Studio F
Outreach & Community Engagement
How can you ensure your community is providing inclusive, cultural opportunities for people of all abilities? VSA Indiana staff and Teaching Artists will present examples of successful community partnerships that lead to rising collective impact. Participants will brainstorm and take away new ideas to implement beyond the conference.
Presenters:
- Gayle Holtman, President & CEO, ArtMix (formerly VSA Indiana)
- Linda Wisler, Vice President of Programs, ArtMix (formerly VSA Indiana)
- Lydia Campbell-Maher, MA,Director of Grants & Marketing, ArtMix (formerly VSA Indiana)
Room Monitor: Lynn Walsh, Co-Chair, Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium
2:45 to 3:00 p.m. – Break
3:00 to 4:15 p.m. – Concurrent Sessions:
Beam Me In! Remote Smart Presence Devices Open Doors to Cultural Sites
Ballroom
Technology
How does remote presence technology extend an institution’s reach? This panel will present three case studies of remote access projects that have provided cultural organizations with virtual entry to visitors with disabilities providing self-guided remote exploration of museum collections and live performances from their personal computer via the on-site robot. Henry Evans, technology fan and quadriplegic, will share his experiences touring museums from his home in California.
Presenters:
- Christa Cliver, Director of Education & Museum Business Development, Suitable Technologies
- Henry Evans, Founder, Robots for Humanity
- Rebecca Bradley, Accessibility Coordinator, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
- A Representative from the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
Recognizing and Responding to Individuals With Mental Health Disabilities: Creating a Healing Environment
Salon 5
Customer Service & Staff Training
Did you know that 1 in 5 individuals lives with a mental illness? Do you know how to recognize symptoms of Mental Illness? Do you feel prepared to respond to a Mental Health Crisis? If you answered "no" to any of these, come and learn basic skills to help you recognize and respond to individuals living with mental illness in your community. The term “mental illness” covers a lot of ground and there are nearly 300 mental illnesses. This guided discussion and interactive session with mental health professionals and individuals with lived mental health experiences will give you basic facts about mental health and how to ensure your space is a space of healing and not triggering.
Presenters:
- Dr. Murray Claytor, Medical Director, Cornerstone Montgomery
- Stephanie Rosen, Executive Director, NAMI Montgomery County
- Nicole Black, Artist, Mental Health Advocate and client of Cornerstone Montgomery
- James Kark, Mental Health Advocate and client of Cornerstone Montgomery
Listening to the Audiences We Serve
Studio B
Policy, Planning & Buy-In
Cultural institutions often design accessible services without input from the audiences they serve. Are we creating arts environments and programs that welcome diverse audiences or are the Accessibility Services and Programs we create actually obstacles? How can we understand effective and empathetic programming if we aren’t talking to the constituents who use these services?
What can we learn from conversations with the constituents we serve? Through a series of interviews and guided conversations we will hear from various audience members access approaches that have been effective and those that have left the audience goer with a sense of stigma or shame. While that is never the aim of the services we provide, we need to understand the audience viewpoint in order to create robust programs that welcome audiences.
Presenters:
- Beth Prevor, Hands On
- Lynnette Taylor
- Candace Broeker-Penn
- Anne Tomasetti, Hands On
AUDIO DESCRIPTION: Live vs Automated – There’s a Place for Both
Studio D
Accessibility Services & Programs
Technology is here to stay, while money for services in every venue and large performing arts center continues to stand between making audio description available to patrons, or not. Join us for a lively conversation about the reality of automated audio description and its connection to, but not replacement for, live audio description
Presenters:
- Ruth Feldman, Founder/CEO, Access4Arts; Founder, Audio Description Coaltion
- Deborah Lewis, CEO, Arts Access Now
- Carl Tramon, Director, Special Services, Sound Associates
Room Monitor: Michael Mooney, Independent Consultant
Basics: Physical Access
Studio E
Basics
Presenters will provide an overview of relevant regulations and requirements for physical accessibility and look at the tools that you need to evaluate and survey your facility.
Presenter: To be announced
Facilitator: Maria Cabrera, Community Relations Manager, Museum of Science
Room Monitor: Lew Michaels, Associate Director of Theatre Operations, Hartford Stage
Developing Programs for Visitors with Dementia: Step-by-step guide for program development
Studio F
Accessibility Services & Programs
Are you considering starting a program for people with dementia and their care partners? At this session we’ll discuss how to plan and implement a program. We’ll start with initial planning considerations, such as what formats will work best in your museum and how you’ll train staff to teach and support the program. Based on their experiences developing programs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, panelists will offer practical tips to ensure a smooth-running and enjoyable program. We’ll also discuss pedagogical strategies and evaluating your program.
Presenters:
- Christena Gunther, Community Programs Coordinator, Elmhurst Historical Museum
- Rebecca McGinnis, Museum Educator and Access Coordinator, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
4:15 to 4:30 p.m. – Break
4:30 to 5:45 p.m. – Concurrent Sessions:
Forging Alliances: The Creation of Access and Advisory Committees
Ballroom
Policy, Planning & Buy-In
You do not have to tackle accessibility alone! Your colleagues and community members are invaluable resources. Internal access committees and external advisory committees can help your organization and support and further your accessibility initiatives. Learn about existing models, their impact, and how other institutions have set up access and advisory committees. Join us to share your personal experiences and explore how you can form an advisory committee at your home institution.
Presenters:
- Rebecca Bradley, Accessibility Coordinator, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
- Christena Gunther, Community Programs Coordinator, Elmhurst Historical Museum
- Hannah Goodwin, Manager of Accessibility, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
- Evan Hatfield, Director of Audience Experience, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
- Marissa Clark, Accessible Programs Coordinator, Philadelphia Museum of Art
Parity at the Party! Equal Opportunity Admission Strategies
Salon 5
Policy and Planning
You have a wildly popular event or attraction scheduled, and your audience is clamoring—CLAMORING—to attend. What else do you have? The potential for ticketing tumult. Competitive admission models, such as first-come/first-served, requires consideration of reasonable accommodation. How can you ensure that folks with disabilities have an equal chance to score admission? This session will discuss potential barriers to equal opportunity in a variety of ticketing/admission models, and explore options for accessible processes.
Presenter:
Susan Duncan, Duncan Consulting
Facilitator: Jessica Swanson, Manager, Accessibility, The Kennedy Center
Room Monitor: Garry Novick, Senior Manager of Guest Services, Broward Center for the Performing Arts
Prepare for the Worst! Get Safe, Get ArtsReady!
Studio B
Policy, Planning & Buy-In
Accessibility coordinators have a unique responsibility in times of crisis. If an emergency large or small occurred at your venue, are you prepared to serve your audiences/artists with disabilities? You’ll move through a variety of scenarios to develop backup plans for any type or size of crisis and learn about resources and best practices in the field.
Presenter:
- Mollie Quinlan-Hayes, Deputy Director and Accessibility Coordinator, South Arts/ArtsReady
Room Monitor: Lynn Walsh, Co-Chair, Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium
Connecting All People to "Places:" The National Park Service Accessibility App Framework
Studio D
Technology
The National Park Service has designed and developed the “Places Mobile” app framework that is accessible at its core. From its initial conception accessibility was planned including audio description, geo-fenced triggers, iBeacons, large type, and transcripts. The design of the interface was heavily influenced and changed by thinking about access, pushing the designers and developers into new way thinking.
Presenters:
- Michele Hartley, Media Accessibility Coordinator, National Park Service
- John Tobiason, Digital and Social Media Specilaist, National Park Service - Harpers Ferry Center
Designing Quality Theatrical Interpreting Programs
Studio E
Accessibility Services & Programs
There’s a lot to think about when it comes to creating a theatrical interpretation program. Presenters in this session will address everything from scheduling performances, identifying and hiring qualified interpreters, appropriate placement and seating, and community outreach.
Presenters:
- Bonnie Kaplan, Cultural Inclusion Director, VSA Massachusetts
- Aaron Kubey, Director, Fourth Wall Gone
Evaluation and Research in Programs for People with Dementia: What questions should we be asking and how can we get to the answers?
Studio F
Program Evaluation & Research
This session explores recent research and evaluation on the benefits of museum and art programs for people with dementia and their caregivers. As offerings in cultural institutions and related expertise expand, there is increasing research interest from various disciplines including medicine, social science, and museum education, all of which employ different methods and have different goals. How can we reconcile the various strands of inquiry in order to understand more deeply the impact of the programs? In what ways can practice inform research and research inform practice? This is a working session that will tap the curiosity, expertise and active input of the community in order to approach these questions.
Presenters:
- Rebecca McGinnis, Senior Museum Educator, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Carolyn Halpin-Healy, Director, Arts & Minds
6:00 to 6:45 p.m. – Affinity Groups
Wrap up the day with a facilitated small group discussion! This is a great opportunity to digest all of the information you’ve picked up throughout the day and bounce questions, concerns, and ideas off of colleagues who work in similar environments.
Performing Arts Organizations
Ballroom
Facilitator: Diane Nutting, Director of Access and Inclusion, Imagination Stage
Exhibitions
Salon 5
Facilitator: Beth Ziebarth, Smithsonian Institution Accessibility Program
State Arts Agencies
Studio D
Facilitator: Beth Bienvenu, Director, National Endowment for the Arts
7:00 p.m. – Dine-Arounds
Head out to dinner with others from the conference to keep the conversation going! Sign up for different dining options at registration.
Food and beverage costs are the responsibility of each attendee.
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Friday, August 7
All events will take place at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View unless otherwise noted.
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. - Registration
Pre-Function Area
8:30 to 10:00 a.m. - Continental Breakfast
Ballroom
9:30 to 10:45 a.m. – Concurrent Sessions:
Engaging with the ASL community from the inside out
Ballroom
Accessibility Services & Programs
Many museums now offer tours with ASL native speakers to better serve the ASL community. Understanding and clarifying the needs, expectations, and roles of the museums and cultural institutions, the ASL guides, and interpreters, is crucial to the success of such programs. This panel will address issues of administration, interpretation, evaluation, and outreach, as well as the experience of the ASL/Deaf guides. It will include new research on the impact of interpretation on evaluation of ASL guides, as well as suggestions from an ASL/Deaf educator on best institutional practices.
Presenters:
- Rebecca McGinnis, Senior Museum Educator, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Stephanie Feyne, Sign Language interpreter
- Emmanuel von Schack, Coordinator of Access Programs, The National September 11 Memorial & Museum
Reaching In, Reaching Out: Creating the “buy-in” for Sensory-Friendly Programming
Salon 5
Accessibility Services & Programs
As more and more arts organizations are facilitating sensory-friendly programming, many are finding that, as with most other access services, it is not simply a case of “build it and they will come.” Presenters will discuss strategies for building trust and relationships with all invested parties, including “in-reach” to staff and board members and outreach to the community being served. Presenters will facilitate an exploration of creating “buy-in” through the lenses of organizational allies, funding, marketing, and evaluation, as well as linking to an organization’s mission and philosophy.
Presenters:
- Diane Nutting, Director of Access and Inclusion, Imagination Stage
- Alyssa Herzog Melby, Executive Director, Northfield Arts Guild
- Roger I. Ideishi, JD, OT/L, FAOTA, Program Director & Associate Professor, Program in Occupational Therapy, Temple University
Room Monitor: Marit Majeske, Front of House Manager, Hylton Performing Arts Center
Elevating your Audio Description Program
Studio D
Accessibility Services & Programs
This session will engage attendees in an understanding of how their audio description program can meet the quality of the art their patrons are experiencing, starting from the contracting process through post-performance assessment with the describer and patrons.
Presenter:
- Ruth Feldman, Founder/CEO, Access4Arts; Founder, Audio Description Coaltion
Room Monitor: Donna Baker, Senior Director of Operations, Newseum
The Basics of Staff Training
Studio E
Customer Service & Staff Training
This session will provide you with great tips, tricks, and easy ways to maintain staff and volunteer interest during a training session. Learn how to collaborate with your fellow arts professionals and community members to create an interactive training that your staff and volunteers will be talking about for weeks and months afterwards. This session will discuss collaboration between arts organizations, retention and buy-in from volunteers, staff and administrators, and encourage community involvement.
Presenters:
- Jill Vaughn, Group Sales Manager, History Theatre
- David Rummel, Park Square Theatre
- Lee Brown, ADA and Front of House Coordinator, Mesa Arts Center
Inequality, Legitimacy, Practice: Applications of Sociological Research for Cultural Arts Accessibility
Studio F
Program Evaluation & Research
This lecture will introduce participants to sociological research on museums and discuss its practical application for museum educators through a case study on cultural accessibility in art museums and botanical gardens. Following this session, participants will be able to 1.) identify the three primary approaches to the sociological study of museums; 2.) compare practices in museum education with ethnographic, or observation-based, forms of data collection; 3.) distinguish between sociological research on museums and program evaluation; 4.) assess sociological analyses of museum accessibility for their theoretical and practical applications.
Presenter:
- Gemma Mangione, Doctoral Candidate, Northwestern University
10:45 to 11:00 a.m. – Break
11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. – Concurrent Sessions:
Social Media
Ballroom
This session shows how to use social media skills to reach the widest possible audience, including persons with disabilities. The workshop will use Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn as examples. We will explore several different accessible ways that users with disabilities interact with these services. We will also explore best practices for posting image and other visual content so that it doesn't unintentionally exclude users.
Presenter:
- Sina Bahram, President, Prime Access Consulting, Inc.
Volunteer Recruitment & Training for your Autism/Sensory Friendly Performances
Salon 5
Customer Service & Staff Training
This session is designed to help cultural organizations build a sustainable volunteer database and effectively prepare and train them for autism and sensory friendly programming. Presenters will provide tips on how to identify strong volunteer candidates, utilize local resources, and demonstrate real life scenarios encountered during autism and sensory friendly events.
Presenters:
- Lisa Carling, Director of TDF Accessibility Programs, Theatre Development Fund
- Philip Dallmann, Autism Theatre Initiative Coordinator, Theatre Development Fund
- Harry Smolin, TDF Autism Specialist
- Lew Michaels, Asst. Director of Theatre Operations, Hartford Stage
Room Monitor: Amanda Loerch, Manager of Patron Services, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Description in Museums: Scope and Practice
Studio B
Accessibility Services & Programs
This session will cover both the scope of ways in which description can be used in Museums, from live tours and described lectures to recorded description, and incorporate a lot of hands-on activity and practice. Exercises in small groups and pairs will give participants opportunities to explore a variety of ways to think about and experience description. Questions and discussion will allow for participants to identify areas that they may want to start using description, or to expand what they currently offer.
Presenters:
- Hannah Goodwin, Manager of Accessibility, MFA, Boston
- Annie Leist, Independent Consultant
- Rebecca McGinnis, Museum Educator, Access and Community Programs, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Effectiveness of Universal Design Standards in Improving Usability and User Satisfaction
Studio D
Program Evaluation & Research
Universal design standards make the environment more inclusive and equitable for everyone and are a practical method for addressing accessibility in a cultural setting. This session will present the findings from a post-occupancy evaluation of a building designed using universal design standards and discuss specific design strategies that have a positive impact on usability, comfort, and user satisfaction. The session will also include an open discussion of the standards and their applicability to public arts and cultural environments.
Presenters:
- Jonathan White, Architectural Research and Design Associate, Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access
- Dr. Sue Weidemann, PhD, Assistant Research Professor; President of BOSTI Associates, Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access
- Elyse Skerker, M. Arch Candidate, Research Assistant, Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access
ADAPT: A Game Changer
Studio E
Accessibility Services & Programs
A world first ADAPT has been adopted by government as its central strategic plank to build the capacity of the arts sector to be inclusive. The program is backed up by an online resource bank. Showcasing some of the best examples of disability action planning, ADAPT draws on the voice of industry in a way that powerfully grounds the program in authenticity, generating genuine momentum for change. The case for planning for universal access has rarely been explored in so extraordinary and impactful way – beyond compliance, with all the evidence pointing to sector transformation.
Presenter:
- Wendy O’Neill, Arts Access Australia
12:15 to 1:15 p.m. – Lunch
Ballroom
1:15 to 1:30 p.m. – Pecha Kucha
Ballroom
These talks are short and sweet – each presenter will get four minutes max! – to share the work that they are doing with everyone at the conference.
Facilitator: Ray Bloomer, National Park Service
1:30 to 1:45 p.m. – Break
1:45 to 3:00 p.m. – Concurrent Sessions:
Marketing Accessible Services a Group Discussion
Ballroom
Accessibility Services & Programs
BRING YOUR MARKETING MATERIALS & IDEAS! Join a group discussion about the best practices to market Accessibility Services and Programs within your community. See how other organizations include accessible services information in brochures, rack cards, newsletters, etc. Discuss what local organizations have helped to cultivate audiences for ASL, Audio Description, Open Captioning, Assistive Listening Devices, Braille Print and Large Print. Bring extra materials to share.
Presenter:
- Carol Krueger, Theatre Services Manager, Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Room Monitor: Donna Baker, Senior Director of Operations, Newseum
Tactile Tactics: Creating, Selecting, and Using Effective Tactile Representations with Visitors who are Blind or Have Low Vision
Salon 5
Accessibility Services & Programs
This session will focus on various methods of creating, selecting, and using tactile representations to build a more accessible and multi-sensory museum experience, particularly for visitors who are blind or have low vision. Special attention will be given to the differences between exploring something visually and exploring it through touch, and how awareness of those differences can inform the creation of effective tactile elements. Presentation and discussion will also address methods for making tactiles, strategies for implementing them well with visitors, and how tactiles might work differently in varying situations. Attendees will have the opportunity to handle examples of both effective and less successful tactiles, and will be encouraged to explore them using their sense of touch alone. There will be ample time for questions and contributions from the participants.
Presenters:
- Annie Leist, Independent Consultant / Special Projects Lead, @artaccessannie / Art Beyond Sight
- Hannah Goodwin, Manager of Accessibility, Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Audio Description for Dance
Studio B
Accessibility Services & Programs
Ever wondered whether audio description for dance can be engaging and build dance audiences? Ever wondered how audio description for dance can be made effective and dynamic? Panelists will review best-practice strategies for describing dance (including in musical theatre and related movement forms such as physical theatre), provide interactive activities that enhance audio description for dance, and describe several different segments of dance for participants.
Presenters:
- Alyssa Herzog Melby, Executive Director, Northfield Arts Guild
- Ermyn King, Independent Inclusive Arts Education/Universal Arts Access Consultant, and Audio Describer, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Office of Accessibility)
- Anne O'Connor, Director of Education, Colorado Ballet
- Vanessa Braun, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Room Monitor: Marit Majeske, Front of House Manager, Hylton Performing Arts Center
Write-In Session
Studio D
You decide the topic for this session! Suggest a topic at registration but beware…if you suggest it, you present it! Attendees will be able to vote for your favorite.
Access and Strategic Planning
Studio E
Policy, Planning & Buy-In
Is your organization going through a strategic plan? Or are you interested in learning more about the process? Join us for an interactive discussion on how to start the conversation with your organization on how to implement access right into your strategic plan.
Presenters:
- Jill Vaughn, Group Sales Manager, History Theatre
- Anne Mulgrave, Manager of Grants and Accessibility, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
Accessible and Adaptable Workshops for People with Disabilities
Studio F
Accessibility Services & Programs
We will describe Workshops for people with disabilities that have been conducted for nearly two decades as part of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Accessible Programs. In these workshops, participants have opportunities to develop their observational, technical, and aesthetic decision-making skills. We will present strategies that enable people with intellectual, social, and physical disabilities to participate fully in making art and discuss various factors that are important to the success of the program. The design of the program can serve as a guide for museums that are exploring their evolving role in promoting accessibility for a growing number of groups in their communities.
Presenters:
- Marissa Clark, Accessible Programs Coordinator, Philadelphia Museum of Art
- Janice Merendino, Teaching Artist, Philadelphia Museum of Art
3:00 to 3:15 p.m. – Break
3:15 to 4:30 p.m. – Concurrent Sessions:
Doing Access Justice: Advanced Legal Topics
Ballroom
This session is designed for accessibility coordinators with many years of experience. Bring your more challenging questions for a frank and open conversation.
Presenters:
- Sally Conway, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
- Rex Pace, U.S. Access Board
Doing Access Justice: The Basics
Salon 5
Presenters:
- A Representative from the U.S. Department of Justice
- Bill Botten, U.S. Access Board
UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities
Studio E
UN Convention on the rights of people with disabilities – what is it, what does it mean if your country is a States Party, how can it impact arts and cultural organizations; update from the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; examples of disability-inclusive cultural activities undertaken or supported by the U.S. Department of State.
Presenters:
- Kathy Guernsey, Senior Policy Advisor to the Special Advisor for International Disability Rights, U.S. Department of State
- Rick Ruth, Senior Advisor in our Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State
4:30 to 4:45 p.m. – Break
4:45 to 6:00 p.m. – Affinity Groups
Wrap up the day with a facilitated small group discussion! This is a great opportunity to digest all of the information you’ve picked up throughout the day and bounce questions, concerns, and ideas off of colleagues who work in similar environments.
Performing Arts Organizations
Ballroom
Facilitator: Diane Nutting, Director of Access and Inclusion, Imagination Stage
Exhibitions
Salon 5
Facilitator: Beth Ziebarth, Smithsonian Institution Accessibility Program
State Arts Agencies
Studio D
Facilitator: Beth Bienvenu, Director, National Endowment for the Arts
7:30 p.m. – LEAD Awards Dinner at the Kennedy Center
The Kennedy Center, Atrium and Foyers
2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20566
Tickets: One (1) complimentary with full paid Individual or Team conference registration. Additional tickets may be purchased for $65.00 per person.
Join us for an elegant evening to close the 2015 conference and to recognize the achievements and contributions of colleagues as leaders in the field of cultural arts accessibility! We have some special things in store for the 15th Anniversary of LEAD®! Awards presentation with be sign-interpreted and open captioned. Assistive Listening Devices and Braille and Large Print programs will be available.
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