Module 2. The challenges of inclusive art environments

Introduction

There are a number of challenges in our society. Those involving inclusion are among the most relevant. Art environments can be places of exclusion: that is why it is relevant to go and find out more about the challenges of inclusive art environments. Museum accessibility means not only welcoming all types of visitors, regardless of their profile, but also making the content understandable to them.

Increasingly in recent years, the design and architecture communities have turned more and more toward diversity and human conditions, paying attention to the development of different design approaches aimed at taking these into account during design (Heylighen, Van der Linden, & Van Steenwinkel, 2017).

Creating an inclusive arts environment is important for different reasons. First of all, it is important to move society as a whole toward the values of inclusiveness and accessibility. Secondly, inclusive design affects different scales of the built environment, which is an environment we experience every day in our daily lives. Moreover, for the art world itself, it is important in order to reach a wider and wider audience. Last but not least, inclusive and accessible arts environments are relational platforms and enablers of citizenship, generating a sense of belonging that makes it possible to overcome physical, geographic, and cultural.

Being an inclusive arts environment can have several challenges. This is because inclusion is related to a heterogeneous set of people who have different needs with several characteristics to be made inclusive.

What?

The challenges of inclusive arts environments help us identify and overcome the “limitations” that for too long have created a deep gap between the enjoyment of the common good and the world that remains cut off due to architectural, cognitive and sensory barriers. Challenges concerning inclusive art environments are to be found in the various characteristics that must be included to make them so.

Indeed, art environments must be inclusive in many ways. Barriers and impediments can be many and varied. They can be physical barriers, cultural barriers, or sensory barriers.

– Physical barriers

One important challenge is physical inclusion. In fact, spaces must be physically accessible to everyone. From those with forms of physical impairment, to children’s strollers, to wheelchairs. The physical inclusion for example of a museum concerns not only the accessibility of the spaces inside the museum. Such as the halls, the bathroom, the food court. But also the neighbouring area, the street outside, and the possibility therefore to reach and access the museum. The accessibility for visitors with disabilities means that museums and institutions need to provide equal access and services to their venues for all types of audiences.

– Cultural and background barriers

Another major challenge for inclusion is that of intellectual accessibility. In fact, people may have diversity in having access to and processing information. There are different forms of inequality. Many are related to external factors that we find in society. They can be related to economic status or geographic origin. This can result in different access to some forms of culture. In fact, like anything else, approaching an arts environment is something you learn. One challenge to making these places inclusive is to allow everyone to have access, beyond their starting conditions. This means paying attention to the fact that not everyone starts with the same knowledge. We must therefore take into account both the aspects of this multi-cultural society and the existence of economic inequalities and those in access to culture.

Here, additive information can be important. This can be about the artist’s path, the socio-cultural context, the artistic current. And also about the painting techniques used, the material of the work.

– Sensory barriers

Barriers can affect different senses. And this brings us to the consideration that art can be appreciated and understood not only by sight. In fact, there are several solutions to enable people with different impairments to approach art. For example, the presence of audio or video guides in sign language. For people with visual impairments, it can be important in addition to audio, to have the possibility to use touch. This is possible with the creation of braille catalogs, braille descriptions of the works, or the presence of 3D works that can be touched and have a different sensory experience of art.

You can also create a sensory map, to help those people on the autism spectrum. So it can be helpful to have a sensory map before entering the museum to be aware of the spaces, lights, sounds, what they will find in general.

Digitization as flexible solution:

Pandemic and inaccessibility to multiple places has, however, allowed us to rethink new ways to make culture accessible and enable a new way to enjoy museums and culture. Digitization of museum materials can be an interesting breakthrough in museum accessibility. It can in fact propose a flexible solution.Making use of digital can mean expanding the possibility of information. People thus have access to additional material. In addition, digital gives the possibility of reaching more people even outside the geographic area of the museum. Digital thus makes it possible to bridge a distance, both physical and cultural.

How?

The goal can be to implement strategic actions that can ensure inclusive pathways for all, also taking into account the evolution of new technologies.

Given that there are different kind of barriers, there can be also different kind of solution to face the challenges of inclusive art environments.

Concerning the challenges for the physical inclusivity it is important to:

• Control and make accessible the spaces outside the art environment;
• Control and make accessible the restrooms within the art environment;
• Control and make accessible the interior exhibition spaces of the artistic environment;
• A pathway on the floor for people with visual impairments can be created to indicate the tour route.

Concerning the challenges for the cultural inclusivity it is important to:

• Add information about art material;
• The proposed material should have an accessible and easy-to-understand level of language and syntax;
• Also make the digital part accessible (if any) for all audiences.

Concerning the challenges for the sensory inclusivity it is important to:

• Remember that each individual may have a different sensory sensitivity;
• Offer video guides in sign language;
• Propose braille guides, such as by creating catalogues;
• Propose auditory guides to accompany the viewer;
• A sensory map can be compiled to allow the entire audience to be prepared to participate.

Call to action

Exercise 1

Various initiatives can be pursued to overcome the challenges of inclusive arts environments.

Try approaching an art environment by imposing one of the above barriers on yourself, for example you can blindfold yourself, or put earplugs in your ears, or even use crutches or a wheelchair.

Mark on a notepad all the times you find a barrier to the enjoyment of any aspect in the environment, and mark all the times you are forced to ask for help.

Try making a list of things that you might need or improve your experience at that time, making it accessible.