Background
Description
Explore was a temporary initiative to improve access to galleries by disabled and deaf people. It was funded by the Sir Jules Thorn Charitable
Trust through the Ann Rylands Special Project and ran between July 2007 and February 2009. The programme was jointly developed and managed by engage,
the National Association for Gallery Education and
Shape, a London-based disability arts organisation.
Shape works with disabled and deaf artists, advise the culture sector in making their services accessible and support disabled and deaf people in
attending arts venues and events. Both organisations are funded by public and private sources including Arts Council England.
The project introduced disabled people to the enjoyment of visual art and galleries, while educating and supporting galleries and artists to
adopt good practice for disabled and deaf visitors.
The nine participating galleries in the UK
- Provided a programme of creative visual arts workshops for disabled or deaf people;
- Received a programme of training and support for their staff and artists including Disability Equality Training, an access audit for each venue,
training for artists and a workshop on Disability Action Planning.
Galleries applied to take part in the programme in regional clusters. These were selected:
Wales Oriel Davies, Mid Wales; Oriel Wrecsam, North Wales; Oriel Mostyn, North Wales
West Midlands Ikon, Birmingham; The New Art Gallery Walsall; Compton Verney, Warwickshire
London Four Corners; Space
Programme aim and objectives
The Explore Programme 2007-2008 aimed to increase disabled and deaf people's access to and enjoyment of visual arts galleries by
- Supporting creative projects introducing disabled and deaf people to visual art galleries in London, the West Midlands and Wales;
- Working with eight venues to develop their work with and opportunities for disabled and deaf people;
- Involving disabled and deaf people in all aspects of the projects, and particularly in arts activities;
- Evaluating, reflecting on and learning from the experience with those involved in the projects;
- Disseminating the transferable learning through a publication about involving disabled and deaf people in gallery programmes
Key outcomes and achievements
Immediate and sustainable benefits
Explore has enabled the partners to research the issues and understand the changes that might need to be made to current gallery
practice in order to offer a sustained level of good access to disabled and deaf visitors.
All participating galleries have begun to make adjustments to their practices and facilities, and are planning with short, medium and
long-term solutions in mind. For example, galleries are now offering information and services in alternative formats as a matter of
course, are providing British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation at all public events, and are updating marketing techniques to ensure
good communication with disabled and deaf audiences, and revising or writing Disability Action Plans.
Galleries learned through delivering practical arts projects, and through the various aspects of the training programme. The investment
in the training aspects of the programme is proving to have been crucial in instigating organisational change.
All galleries report an attitudinal shift within their organisations and greater awareness of access issues. This is mostly due to the
fact that elements of the training programme were attended by a range of staff from each organisation, as well as the key person working on Explore.
Most galleries have sustained and developed the relationships they made during the programme with artists, disability organisations and
participants. Five out of the eight galleries are providing further projects and workshops for the participants they worked with during
Explore. Two of these galleries have received funding for these activities based on their achievements participating in the Explore programme.
All galleries now have an improved set of contacts for their local disability and disability arts organisations, and are more confident
about approaching access issues.
In due course, it will be clearer how the Explore Handbook will impact on the visual arts sector. A large portion of the Handbook consists
of key pieces of fundamental advice that will have meaning and importance for years to come, and both partners are confident that this will
create sustainable benefits for arts organisations and in turn for disabled and deaf people.
Gallery project summaries and updates
Click on the galleries below for details of projects and the latest news:
What's happened at the galleries since Explore finished?
Ikon, Birmingham
Programmes for deaf visitors Ikon now regularly programmes events with BSL and is noticing an increase in deaf and hearing-impaired
visitor figures. Ikon employs deaf artists to lead tours and events, including one of the artists they worked with during Explore.
Partnership development Ikon continues to develop its relationship with the Deaf Cultural Centre in Birmingham whom they worked with on
Explore; meeting to share expertise and offer advice, with a view to Ikon improving what it offers to deaf and hearing-impaired audiences.
New project Through connections made during Explore with artists, disability arts organisations and other galleries, Ikon will take part
in a partnership with DASh (Disability Arts Shropshire) on a project called Outside IN. This is a three-year visual arts initiative working
with a group of galleries across Wales and the West Midlands to promote and develop disabled and deaf artists, audiences and participants
within the visual arts sector.
Dissemination to other galleries At an engage Cymru seminar in March, Ikon will present a case study of their work on Explore to galleries
across Wales, highlighting key learning outcomes and sharing good practice.
The New Art Gallery Walsall, West Midlands
Staff training and continued awareness-raising The galley commissioned the artist they worked with to produced a resource pack for their
front-of-house team. This pack, and a training day in April 2009 were specifically aimed at helping gallery staff improve their services
for visitors with learning difficulties.
Strategic development The gallery is using the Access Audit and the training provided to ensure it completes a Disability Action Plan in
line with Arts Council requirements.
Dissemination to other galleries At a training day organised by engage, the gallery will present a case study of their work on Explore to
galleries from across the UK, highlighting key learning outcomes and sharing good practice with galleries who did not take part in Explore.
Programmes for visually impaired and blind visitors The gallery is taking part in a UK wide programme called Art Speaking, organised by
Art-Sense, a charity promote multi-sensory appreciation of art. The gallery will provide three audio described tours specifically for
blind and visually impaired people.
New project Through connections made during Explore with artists, disability arts organisations and other galleries, the gallery will take
part in a partnership with DASh (Disability Arts Shropshire) on a project called Outside IN. This is a three year visual arts initiative
working with a group of galleries across Wales and the West Midlands to promote and develop disabled and deaf artists, audiences and
participants within the visual arts sector.
Compton Verney, West Midlands
Strategic development Compton Verney now has a Disability Equality Committee. The committee will take forward the information in the Access
Audit and that from the training provided during Explore, to create a Disability Action Plan.
Continued staff training Compton Verney will incorporate Disability Equality and in Audio Description into the induction for each years intake
of seasonal staff.
Continued relationship with Explore participants Compton Verney gave free membership to Explore project participants, some of whom are now
regular visitors.
Oriel Mostyn, North Wales
Continued relationship with Explore participants With the support of a Beacon Award, Oriel Mostyn will extend its work the local with disability
organisations and artists they worked with during Explore.
Website improvements All information online will be translated into BSL.
Oriel Davies, Mid Wales
Strategic development Oriel Davies are drafting a Disability Action Plan. The actions therein will include minor changes to the building, a
new website, as well as developing accessible interpretation and resource materials.
New project Through connections made during Explore with artists, disability arts organisations and other galleries, Oriel Davies will take part
in a partnership with DASh (Disability Arts Shropshire) on a project called Outside IN. This is a three year visual arts initiative working with
a group of galleries across Wales and the West Midlands to promote and develop disabled and deaf artists, audiences and participants within the
visual arts sector.
Oriel Wrecsam, North Wales
More workshops and continued relationships The gallery has received funding from the Arts Council of Wales to deliver more projects like
Explore with disabled and disadvantaged people. They will be running 32 workshops between March and July and will work with some of the same
people from Explore, but will also work with those who expressed interest in Explore but could not take part.
Improvements to facilities and buildings A planned refurbishment of the building will make use of the findings of the Access Audit carried
out as part of Explore.
Partnership development and staff training Since Explore, the gallery is partnering with North Wales Deaf Association, who will inform
training and facilities improvements for the benefit of deaf and hearing-impaired visitors.
SPACE, London
Continued relationship with Explore participants Space has programmed another workshop with the deaf school and deaf artist they worked with.
This will be part of an annual youth arts festival in Hackney, ensuring the deaf students take part in mainstream cultural provision.
Heightened awareness within the organisation 'Access' is now an item on every agenda at Space meetings.
Strategic development Space is using the Access Audit report as a basis for updating their Diversity Action Plan, which will include disability
and access.
Four Corners, London
Continued relationship with Explore participants Four Corners has secured funding from Awards for All to build on the work they delivered
during Explore, and will work again with the disabled artist and disabled participants on more in-depth projects.
Explore Legacy
The Explore Handbook was published in January 2009.
Click to download the press release
in English
or Welsh
Launch event
engage and Shape launched the Explore Handbook in January 2009. Tate Britain kindly hosted the event, at which colleagues in visual arts,
disability and deaf arts, funders and policymakers celebrated. Access Consultant Michèle Taylor spoke about the potential benefits of the
publication and inspired guests to take on board, and act on, it its advice.
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| Photography by Simon Stephen |
Contacts
Explore
Katy Culbard
Explore Co-ordinator
Shape
Catherine Hawes
Senior Arts Development Manager
Shape
Deane House Studios
27 Greenwood Place
London NW5 1LB
Telephone 020 7424 7346
Minicom 020 7242 7330
Fax 020 7242 7369
E mail cath@shapearts.org.uk
Website www.shapearts.org.uk
engage
Laura Cherry
Communications Officer
engage, the National Association for Gallery Education
Telephone 020 7729 5858
E mail laura.cherry@engage.org
Website www.engage.org