The Allentown Art Museum is partnering with Lehigh University Art Galleries (LUAG) on its Access Culture Initiative, hosting one in a series of workshops for artists, arts professionals, and the interested public to help them effectively engage audiences with disabilities. Three Access Culture sessions are planned for February and March, with the second session being held at the Museum.
Margie Makowski, the Museum’s manager of accessibility, will lead a tour of our Art Ways Interactive Family Gallery (right and below) on Thursday, February 20, talking about how the sense of touch can be incorporated into a visual-arts experience. She will then partner with Rita Lang, the client activities manager at Sights for Hope, to teach a workshop on creating effective tactile materials for educational spaces. Sights for Hope is a local organization that empowers individuals with visual impairments through life-skills education, technology solutions, individualized support, and transportation services.
“When the idea to collaborate first emerged,” says Margie, “I was excited to work with both LUAG and Sights for Hope. Our goal was to dive deeper into accessibility topics such as audio descriptions and tactile resources for educational spaces. This collaboration aims to share knowledge, learn alongside other arts organizations, and implement meaningful accessibility practices.” Margie and others in the AAM’s Education and Public Engagement department have participated in several Access Culture programs and events.
Here are details about the upcoming sessions:
Session 1: “Intro to Audio Description in Arts Organizations”
February 12, 2025, 1-3 p.m. at LUAG
Learn the art of audio description (AD) and how it can enhance accessibility for arts organizations like museums and theaters. Elise Schaeffer, LUAG’s Coordinator of Museum and Access, and Rita Lang, Client Activities Manager for Sights for Hope, are collaborating to share best practices for audio descriptions in the first session. Participants will leave with online resources, clear examples of audio descriptions, and an understanding of how to implement audio descriptions in education practices to enhance accessibility for all audiences. In the second session,
Register for session 1 HERE.
Session 2: “Developing Tactile Education Materials for Museum & Gallery Tours”
February 20, 2025, 5-7 p.m. at the Allentown Art Museum
This session will focus on the creation of tactile materials for educational purposes in museums and galleries. Participants will leave with online resources, a clear understanding of what tactiles are, how to create effective tactiles and ways to implement them in educational practices, and a small tactile sample created during the workshop.
Register for session 2 HERE.
Session 3: “Exploring Art with Audio Description and Tactile Elements” (Session 3)
March 13, 2025, 10 a.m.-noon at LUAG
This interactive program features detailed audio descriptions and hand-crafted tactile representations of selected artworks created by LUAG accessibility students and staff. Audio Description (AD) makes art more accessible by bringing visual elements to life for those who are blind or who have low vision or other visual impairments, offering an alternative way to engage with art. While this event is specifically designed for blind and low-vision attendees, it is free and open to everyone interested in learning more about AD in action.
Register for session 3 HERE.
The ongoing Access Culture program also includes an online discussion group that meets monthly to discuss accessibility issues and to share resources. The next virtual meet up (on Zoom) is February 10 from 1 to 2 p.m., all are welcome. Details HERE.