[Artbeyondsightmuseums] Tactile Tours in Tidewater

[Shirley Confino-Rehder]

Dear Mr. Andrews,

I recently met Stuart Prost and his wife Debra, 
and may be doing a presentation on the Tactile 
tour at  your meeting on the 15th of August. I have to confirm that with him.

I have designed and developed a financially 
feasible Tactile Tour for Museums and thought I 
should share it with your group.

This  project has encouraged museums to include 
docent led tactile tours for persons who are 
blind or have low vision in several local museums 
and those around the county and Canada. While 
meeting  the requirement of Title III of the ADA 
for equal program access, it will enable people 
who are often neglected in the aesthetic 
experience, enjoy art on a very personal level.

I am so pleased to announce that art venues in 
Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Williamsburg will 
have Tactile Programs this October to celebrate National
Disabilities Awareness Month and Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month.

   Among these sites are:

* The Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk

* The Norfolk University Center of African Art

* The Baron and Ellin Gordon Art Galleries at Old Dominion University.

* The Contemporary Art Center of Virginia,

* The Muscarelle Museum of Art, College of William and Mary - where I am a
     docent.

* The Bayside Library in Virginia Beach – 
coordinating with local schools, will offer 
tactile sculptures around the facility and will 
then have selected pieces for permanent 
display.  Their Special Services will be doing 
our Braille and audio descriptions for all of the venues.

* The Virginia Zoo will have tactile handouts for 
at least one of their exhibits.

The Chrysler, Muscarelle and the ODU gallery are 
planning to have permanent tactile tours.

In addition, the  Ceramics, Woodcarving & 
Woodworking classes, at the The Norfolk Senior 
Center –( PrimePlus) – will be doing work in 
different mediums and display their tactile piece 
with Braille descriptions on view for the month.

I noted that the  Contemporary Art Center of 
Virginia, Virginia Beach is listed the Art Beyond 
Sight Website Calendar.  They will be using my 
docent tour pamphlet to train their docents and I will be doing their graphics.

I have asked Art Beyond Sight 
at  <coordinator at artbeyondsight.org> to list 
these sites on the calendar website for the month 
of October and hope it will be done in time to 
advertise it properly.  I would appreciate any 
assistance from you office to make this happen.

Thank you very much.  Looking forward to meeting with your group shortly,

Shirley

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