Accessibility
The Arizona Commission on the Arts provides assistance through its accessibility programs to artists with disabilities and statewide arts organizations.
“Imagine an Arizona where everyone can participate in and experience the arts.” This goal of the Arizona Commission on the Arts can become a reality through the cooperation of the artists, arts organizations, arts educators, volunteers and supporters who comprise the Arizona arts industry.
Estimates regarding the number of Americans with disabilities vary between 54 and 58 million. Of these, over 1 million reside in Arizona. Individuals may have various types and degrees of disability, and these may be temporary or permanent, and can affect anyone. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation and telecommunications. Because the Arts Commission receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the State of Arizona, its grantees are expected to be in, or working towards the goal of, compliance with this federal legislation.
The Arts Commission is currently in the final year of a 3-year process to ensure that arts organizations receiving any level of general operating support (Organizational Development Grant; General Operating Support Levels I, II, III, Basic Aid or Locals Aid) are working towards reducing physical and social barriers for people with disabilities.
For Arts Organizations
FY11 Grantees
All FY11 grantees were required to complete and submit an Accessiblity Checklist, which provided information about organizations’ programming, communications, and the facility(ies) in which organizations present Arts Commission-sponsored programs. Accessibility of organizations’ programs is required whether organizations own a facility, rent a facility space or tour programs.
As a component of the Final Report, FY11 grantees must submit an Accessibility Statement. Within this statement, grantees answer a question about the step(s) their organization has taken towards implementation of one ADA/Accessibility priority. The Accessibility Statement must be sent as an email attachment to accessibility@azarts.gov within 30 days of completion of a fiscal year, no later than Monday, August 1, 2011.
FY12 Grant Applicants
All FY12 grantees applying in any General Operating Support category were required to upload an ADA/Accessibility Plan to EGOR as a part of their grant applications. Grant applications that did not include an ADA/Accessibility Plan were considered incomplete.
Accessibility Resources
The Arts Commission maintains an Accessibility Coordinator position on staff. Please contact Accessibility and Grants Coordinator, Jaya Rao, with questions or concerns related to the accessibility of arts programs or services. Jaya can be reached at 602-771-6532 or by email at jrao@azarts.gov.
Selected accessibility resources have been posted here. Search the Resource Library for more comprehensive current and archived accessibility resources.
Design for Accessibility
Design for Accessibility: A Cultural Administrator’s Handbook is a how-to reference and resource guide for integrating older adults and people with disabilities into all aspects of an arts organization — from planning and design to marketing and technical assistance.
This publication was funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and MetLife Foundation, in partnership with the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Accessibility Consultants
The following consultants are listed on the Consultant Services Roster and are available to consult on matters related to accessibility and accessible programming.
- Eileen Bagnall, VSA Arizona, www.artability.org; artabilityaz@hotmail.com
- Denise Labrecque, City of Scottsdale, dlabrecque@scottsdaleaz.gov
Accessibility Symbols for Download
Promote your accessibility to employees, customers, audiences, students, and anyone who needs access to your facility or programs. Examples of places you’ll want to promote accessibility include: advertisements, newsletters, conference and program brochures, membership forms, building signage, floorplans and maps.
Download ADA standard symbols at http://www.graphicartistsguild.org/resources/disability-access-symbols/.
Links to Other Accessibility Resources
American Foundation for the Blind: http://www.afb.org/default.asp
Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: http://www.acdhh.org
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts/LEAD Conference: http://kennedy-center.org/accessibility/
National Arts and Disability Center: http://nadc.ucla.edu/
National Endowment for the Arts: http://www.nea.gov/resources/Accessibility/index.html
U.S. Department of Justice, Americans with Disabilities Act: http://www.ada.gov/
VSA Arts: http://www.vsaarts.org
VSA Arts of Arizona/ARTability: http://www.artability.org/mainmenu.html
