[Art_beyond_sight_advocacy] newbie searching for advice on making community art shows accessible

[Kestrell]

Hi, Shirley

It is a science fiction convention to be held in mid-January, 2010.

The art show is a really big event at Arisia, and includes many visual media 
as well as multi-media such as sculptures, masks, jewelry, fabric sculpture, 
etc.

Everything at Arisia is volunteer run, but I am trying to find someone 
specifically with a strong interest in art. I expect this part will not be 
too difficult.

The entire convention draws about 2300+ attendees, but I am guessing that 
the audience for a described tour will be somewhere between ten and twenty.

There are a number of blind and low vision attendees who attend Arisia every 
year (approx. ten to fifteen who use Braille and large print programs) and 
at least four wheelchair users. I expect a handful of people would be 
interested in the tour just to learn how one is done.

Each year we have at least some artists who put up "Please touch" signs on 
their art, so I think there will be some tactile art for the attendees. Part 
of the tour would be about guiding people to these specific art works. 
Another aspect would be describing some of the more popular visual media 
works in the art show. You can tell which are the most popular works because 
the art is also auctioned off, and since interested buyers leave slips of 
paper near the works to document their interest and their proposed price, 
the slips of paper would indicate popularity.

The length of the tour should be less than an hour to allow people to get to 
the next panel or event but no less than an hour.

I'm not sure how many art works are in the art show each year, but I've 
walked through it with friends and it usually takes an hour or so.

Also, the art show coordinators are going to put a question on the 
questionnaires for the artists in the show asking if they would be willing 
to have people touch their work.

Kestrell

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Shirley Confino-Rehder" <scr at univdesign.com>
To: "Art Beyond Sight Advocacy" <art_beyond_sight_advocacy at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 4:20 PM
Subject: Re: [Art_beyond_sight_advocacy] newbie searching for advice on 
making community art shows accessible


>I have created very a successful tour guide, will be glad to send it off to
> you, and am instrumental in having eight different kinds of tactile tours
> this month in Tidewater.
>
> Tell me what you are looking for.  Do you want an interactive tour for
> everyone, a tactile tour of ptgs and sculptures, how many attendees are
> expected?  What are you thinking of?  Will you have volunteers as guides?
> When will it be? What kind of convention is it?
>
> Shirley Confino-Rehder
>
>
> On 9/28/09 4:06 PM, "Kestrell" <kestrell at panix.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi, listers
>>
>> I'mnew to this list and am hoping to get some pointers on making 
>> community art
>> shows accessible.
>>
>> I am heading the access services of a Boston area science fiction 
>> convention
>> called Arisia
>> http://2010.arisia.org/
>> and one of the goals I have is to make the art show accessible. One 
>> specific
>> element of this is attempting to organize a described tour of the art 
>> show.
>>
>> Does anyone have any advice on how to create such a thing? I already 
>> haved the
>> art show committee on board with the idea, but could use more specifics.
>>
>> I am also hoping to locate an electronic copy of the book _Art Beyond 
>> Sight_;
>> I requested that Bookshare attempt to acquire it, but they turned down my
>> request because it is not for a class (I'm blind and a Bookshare member 
>> and
>> volunteer). I would scan it myself but the book costs, according to
>> Amazon.com, over $150.
>>
>> Are there any less expensive books about making art accessible?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Kestrell
>> Reading in the Dark
>> http://kestrell.livejournal.com
>> _______________________________________________
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>> %40univdesign.com
>
>
>
> Shirley Confino-Rehder cid, affil aia
> www.univdesign.com
> Chair, Norfolk Mayor's Commission for Persons with Disabilities
> Chair, South Hampton Roads Disability Services Board
> 757 625-0969 office
> 757 513-4880 mobile
>
>
>
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