Building an Accessible Arts Community

Image by Tom Topinka

Our area is filled with wonderful organizations and artists, many of whom are already working with disabled individuals. Building a community where everyone can engage in art creates a vibrant community. As Sheri Byrne-Haber says "Accessibility is not a problem to solve, accessibility is a community to build." For some talking about accessibility and disability can feel overwhelming - so our Executive Director Rachel broke down their recent talk into three key points.

● Be Intentional - Be open and honest about who you are and what you are capable of doing. Sometimes we are able to serve different disability needs, and sometimes we aren't there yet. Open a dialogue and see what can happen and how you can make things accessible.

● View Mistakes as Opportunities - No one person is a monolith for their disability. To borrow from the Autism community - "To know one person with a disability is to know one person." We are imperfect and will make mistakes, but we take those moments to learn. Maybe we learn a better website design, or rearrange our space to be accessible, or learn how to engage in conversation. If we are navigating with the best of intentions, then we are simply doing what we know. The neat thing is each mistake or missed moment is a chance to learn and grow our knowledge. We are all navigating this world of accessibility - especially those in the disability communities.

● Your Creativity is your Strength - Being disabled is having to navigate a world not designed for us; we have to adapt and be flexible. As artists we live in the world of creativity and imaging "What if?" Use that strength to find new ways to adapt your work, programs, and offerings.

Together we can make a vibrant arts community that includes everyone. If you are interested in learning more about the work Bridge 9 Theater does or about Rachel's professional development trainings, please reach out at rachel@bridge9theater.com or visit bridge9theater.com/inclusion