Full Line-up of Virtual “Access Thursdays” announced by the Cultural Access Network Project
ACCESS THURSDAYS
WHEN: First Thursdays, February through May; Awards on June 24
WHERE: Zoom
The Cultural Access Network Project, a project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and New Jersey Theatre Alliance, is pleased to announce the 2021 Line-up of “Access Thursdays,” an annual spring series of monthly educational opportunities for the arts and culture field.
“Arts and culture organizations in New Jersey are national leaders in making programs accessible to individuals with disabilities,” said John McEwen, Executive Director of New Jersey Theatre Alliance. “Part of what keeps New Jersey at the forefront of this work is the understanding that true accessibility requires ongoing learning and training. Access Thursdays bring the field together to learn from experts and peers about how to ensure the arts are accessible to all.”
“Ensuring accessibility to the arts for all New Jerseyans is a priority of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts,” said Program Officer and the Council’s Access Coordinator Mary Eileen Fouratt. “Access Thursdays provide ongoing learning for arts organizations to continually improve the accessibility of the arts for audiences, artists, staff, and volunteers. The Council is extremely proud of how the Cultural Access Network has been a national leader.”
The 2021 Access Thursdays Series will be fully virtual and hosted on Zoom, and will be closed captioned. The series will kick off on February 4th, with a session about making virtual events accessible with accommodations such as captioning and ASL interpretation. “The wealth of virtual programming offered right now makes it possible for people with limited mobility or challenging access to transportation to attend cultural events more than ever before,” said McEwen. “It is important that the accessibility of these events also extends to those with vision or hearing loss as well.”
Staff members form New Jersey arts and cultural organizations can register for one or all of the events HERE.
The full lineup of Access Thursdays is below:
Thursday, February 4, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
How to Make Your Virtual
Programming Events Accessible
As cultural organizations are increasing their virtual
programming offerings, this is a perfect opportunity to expand an
organization's reach by ensuring that its virtual programming is accessible to
those with hearing loss, those who are Deaf, and those with vision loss. Hear
from a panel of cultural colleagues who will share their experiences and
insights on how to make virtual arts events accessible. Guest Speakers: David
Chu, Founder, C2 (Caption Coalition); Richard Denney, Director of Audience
Services, The Public Theatre; Beth Prevor, Cultural Access Coordinator, New
Jersey Theatre Alliance and Executive Director, HandsOn.
Thursday, March 4, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Websites: An Essential Tool
to Market Your Accessible Programs and Services
As we all know, websites are
critical in branding our organizations and sharing important information with
the public about our programs and services. Learn how to make your website
accessible, especially to those with vision loss, and best practices in
promoting your accessible accommodations and services on your website. Guest
Speaker: Walei Sabry, Digital Accessibility Coordinator, New York City
Department of Information Technology and Telecommunication.
Thursday, April 1, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Advisory Boards — Access and
Inclusion Advocates
As organizations move forward
in ensuring that their programs and facilities are accessible and marketing
their accommodations to the public, the Cultural Access Network Project has
always been a strong advocate of advisory boards. Learn how to set up an
advisory board, the characteristics of an advisory board member, and roles and
responsibilities. The benefits of sharing an advisory board with other
organizations in your community will also be discussed. This discussion will be
moderated by Beth Bienvenu, Director, Office of Accessibility, National
Endowment for the Arts.
Thursday, May 6, 10:30
AM – 12:00 PM
Virtual Programming: A
Continued Conversation on How to Plan for a Hybrid of Accessible Live and
Virtual Events
Details and guest speakers to
be announced.
Thursday, June 24,
10:30 AM — 12:30 PM
The Cultural Access Awards
Awards will be presented to individuals and
organizations that have demonstrated leadership and innovation in making arts
and culture accessible in their communities. The awards presentation will be
preceded by a keynote speaker and panel on the intersection of disability
justice and anti-racism.
The Cultural Access Network
Project is a project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and New
Jersey Theatre Alliance.
Founded in 1981, New
Jersey Theatre Alliance was the first
statewide service organization for professional, not-for-profit theatre
companies in the United States, and is a leader in developing model programs
that unite, promote, strengthen, and cultivate professional theatre in New
Jersey. Funding for the New Jersey Theatre Alliance, a not-for-profit
organization, is provided in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts,
a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, New Jersey Division of
Travel and Tourism, and contributions from individuals, corporations, and
foundations including Amazon, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The Grunin
Foundation, The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, The Horizon Foundation for
New Jersey, Bank of America, City National Bank, The Shubert Foundation, The
Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Investors Bank, The Hyde and Watson
Foundation, Kessler Foundation, The F.M. Kirby Foundation, E.J. Grassmann
Trust, and The Union Foundation.