These fifteen fantastic films that depict people with visual impairment are tear-jerking, thrilling, and even kind of terrifying. The way that movies have depicted disabilities of all sorts ranges from spot-on to downright offensive. Blindness in particular has been a fairly free-game disability to portray in an offensive manner without any repercussions or backlash. But why? The … More
Making a museum or gallery accessible to visually-impaired visitors isn’t just about providing Braille labels or one-off events. Deeper cultural change is needed to break down barriers and to create equal experiences for visually-impaired visitors.
Maya Sharma shares her experience of evaluating an engagement project with blind and visually impaired audiences.
Project overview Community Cinemas operate on a tight budget and primarily screen from DVD using equipment aimed at the “home” market or a little better. Venues also are multi-use and not purpose built and therefore often suffer from poor acoustic qualities and do not offer tiered seating. However their audience demographic includes a significant proportion … More
Every design decision can make the user experience better or worse. Successful inclusive design requires informed decision-making at the concept stage, because it can become prohibitively expensive to make changes later on. This kit describes the four main phases of inclusive concept design: Manage: Review the evidence to decide ‘What should we do next?’ Explore: … More
The UK cinema sector is recognised as a world-leader in terms of its work to support and welcome disabled cinema-goers. Many of the changes made by UK cinema operators in this regard pre-empted and indeed went further than the requirements placed on cinemas, and others providing goods, facilities or services to the public, by the … More
Taking steps to make your venue more accessible is beneficial to everyone – from shops trying to increase sales to attractions aiming to increase footfall; and from wheelchair users to young parents out and about with prams. Here are some top tips for making your venue as accessible to as many people as possible.
In 2015 Disabled Access Day, 16 March, began as a day to celebrate good access and to create opportunities for people to try something new. The day was very much about highlighting the fantastic access that already exists in places, experiences such as going on a touch tour, enjoying a relaxed performance, sensory experiences, signed events, level access and of course a warm welcome! Often these activities and experiences are hard to arrange or create a sense of anxiety and fear.
Cinemas across the country offer access for people who may have visible or hidden disabilities, as well as offering specific accessible screenings, such as subtitled, audio described, BSL interpreted, relaxed environment, autism-friendly, and/or dementia-friendly screenings.
Your Local Cinema lists many subtitled and audio-described screenings
Accessible Screenings UK also list autism-friendly, subtitled and audio-described screenings
Project overview The project was set up in January 2016 after a successful six-month residence working with David Ellington as ‘Agent for Change’ funded by Art of England (South West). Watershed’s aim is to develop more inclusive cinema that welcomes D/deaf people to enjoy and be able to chat about films. Aims Focused on engaging … More
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