The Bay Area Arts Access Collective, The Paul K. Longmore Institute on Disability at San Francisco State, and The Bind Posse are co-hosting a panel and open conversation in connection to the Asian Art Museum's Access and Inclusion Tasforce and their accessibility efforts.
Program Description: This workshop will explore opportunities and strategies for making exhibitions and museums more accessible for visitors with disabilities at the physical, virtual, and cultural level, with the aim to go beyond compliance and instead celebrate the important perspective disabled people bring to our world. In the last two years, the Asian Art Museum has made such an effort. This event seeks to share lessons learned from the perspective of both Asian Art Museum staff and the disabled community members (The Blind Posse and community workshop participants), whose expertise made this progress possible, while also providing details of access features now available. With an open conversation about the progress made, the challenges faced, and the work ahead, this event seeks to engage arts & culture professionals, arts funders, and enthusiasts, with a call to action for further collaboration and activism to support museums that seek to go beyond compliance.
Panelists and hosts include:
Allison Wyckoff, Director of External and Community Programs, Asian Art Museum
Andrew Lau, Digital Project Director, Asian Art Museum
Cecile Puretz, Co-Founder of the Bay Area Arts Access Collective (BAAAC), and Access and Community Engagement Manager at The Contemporary Jewish Museum
Deborah Clearwaters, Director of Education and Interpretation, Asian Art Museum
Emily Beitiks, Assistant Director of the Paul. K. Longmore Institute on Disability at San Francisco State
Georgina Kleege, Author, Access Consultant, and Professor at UC Berkeley
Indra Mungal, Senior Educator for Public Programs, Asian Art Museum
Josh Halstead, Design Educator and Disability Advocate
Stanley Yarnell, Founder of the Blind Posse
And additional Disability Community Charrette participants to be announced.
Event Accessibility:
The event space is accessible to wheelchair-users, those who use mobility devices, and visitors who need to avoid stairs.
Parking: A white zone for visitor drop-off/pick-up is located on Larkin Street in front of the museum entrance. Limited accessible parking spaces can be found along Fulton and Larkin streets.
ASL interpretation and CART real-time captioning will be available
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on every level.
Welcoming environment for service animals.
Scent-Free Event: All BAAAC events are scent-free; please refrain from wearing products with fragrance such as perfume, cologne and lotion.
To request additional accommodations, please contact the Asian Art Museum ADA Coordinator 415-581-3598 (Relay calls welcome) or communityengagament@asianart.org
For more questions about this program contact Allison Wyckoff awyckoff@asianart.org or 415-581-3666
For more information on accessibility at the Asian Art Museum (including directions, parking, restrooms, and more) visit: http://www.asianart.org/visit/accessibility.
Cost: This event is FREE, please RSVP to save your spot by emailing bayareaartsaccess@thecjm.org or registering through Eventbrite.
Location: Koret Center (1st floor). Volunteers will be positioned at the entrance near the admissions desk to assist with wayfinding.
Image description: Black bold text "Advocating for the Arts: A Panel & Community Spotlight on the Asian Art Museum Access & Inclusion Taskforce." The "Advocating for Access in the Arts" is set against a pink background and the remainder of the title is set against a warm yellow background. Design by Isabelle Smeall.