This is a practical resource for artworkers, such as curators, producers and arts administrators working independently or in galleries, museums and arts organisations.
This toolkit contains practical information on how to plan, produce, and exhibit accessible art projects including information on access riders, financial planning, slow production, display, and creating an accessible workplace. This information is intended to address the access barriers faced by d/Deaf, neurodivergent, chronically ill and disabled artists, audiences and artworkers, and those who experience ableism. The information in this toolkit has been gathered from a wide range of disabled artists, curators and producers and those working in arts organisations dedicated to commissioning disabled artists. It has also been informed by the author’s own experience as a disabled curator, who has faced access barriers and ableism working in the arts. It is most relevant to working in the UK and Ireland but is applicable in a wide set of contexts. This is not an exhaustive resource but is intended to support artworkers to begin the process of addressing ableism in their practices and workplaces to ensure they are accessible for disabled artists, audiences, colleagues and themselves.
It is the responsibility of artworkers to undo the ableism in art spaces and commit to access as an ongoing practice in an effort to eradicate access barriers for working, making and experiencing art for d/Deaf, neurodivergent, chronically ill and disabled communities.
Access Toolkit for Artworkers is supported by the Arts Council England’s Developing Your Creative Practice award and the Creative Production Supports initiative field:arts.
Author: Iarlaith Ní Fheorais
Editor: Hannah Wallis
Advisers: Bridget O’Gorman, Hannah Wallis, Kat Hawkins, Jamila Prowse, Jo Verrant, Leah Clements, Linda Rocco and Maggie Matić
For the full toolkit, please visit the website by clicking here.