Accessibility Planning and Resource Guide for Cultural Administrators

The Accessibility Planning and Resource Guide for Cultural Administrators is an online companion to the printed text Design for Accessibility: A Cultural Administrator’s Handbook (2003). The Guide provides guidance to cultural administrators on how to achieve accessible and inclusive programming for everyone including individuals with disabilities and older adults. It is designed to help your organization not only comply with Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act but also to assist in making access an integral part of your organization, including its staffing, mission, budget, education, meetings, programs and beyond. This document takes these laws and principles and applies them to cultural service organizations and other arts and humanities groups in both the public and private sector.

The Guide outlines a step-by-step "nuts and bolts" process for achieving accessible practices by setting the standard and illustrating how cultural organizations can make it happen. It features examples of “best practices” that illustrate specific methods for opening existing programs, services, facilities, and activities to individuals with disabilities and older adults, as artists, arts administrators, board members, volunteers, teachers, students and audience members. This online text takes advantage of Internet technology by presenting and linking to a wide variety of resources that assist cultural organizations. It is also provides necessary information to enable arts and humanities service organizations to assist their grantees/constituents in achieving accessible programming.

The Accessibility Planning and Resource Guide for Cultural Administrators is available in Portable Document Format (PDF). In order to view PDF documents, you first need to download and install the FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Complete Guide (6.7MB)

PART 1: PLANNING FOR ACCESSIBILITY

Introduction (250K)

Step-by-Step Guide to Accessible Cultural Programs and Organizations

Step 1: Know The Laws And How They Apply To Your Organization, Patrons And Audiences With Disabilities

Step 2: Provide Individuals With Equal Employment Opportunities

Step 3: Designate An Accessiblity Coordinator For Your Organization

Step 4: Create An Access Advisory Committee

Step 5: Adopt a Policy Statement About Your Organization's Commitment to Accessibility and Establish a Grievance Procedure

Step 6: Evaluate Your Organization's Accessibility: The Arts and Humanities Accessibility Checklist

Step 7: Develop An Access Plan

Step 8: Train Your Staff, Board, Panelist, Grantees And Constituents