agad 201 space in the arts (part 2) final

7/28/2019 AGAD 201 Space in the Arts (Part 2) FINAL

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SPACE

Sustainable,Political,andAccessible

CommunitiesinEdmonton(SPACE)

ShamiradaSilva

AlexLucyk

BrittanyPitruniak

NatalieShykoluk

AGAD201

CampaignAssignmentPart2

INTHEARTS


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October17,2012 SPACEINTHEARTS Page|2

ExecutiveSummarySustainable, Political, and Accessible Communities in Edmonton (SPACE) envisions a city whose buildings and

organizations embrace the principles of Universal Design and are therefore accessible to all Edmontonians. Since

2009, it has been our mission to increase awareness around the issue of physical accessibility, advocate for the

use of Universal Design principles in new construction and renovation of Edmontons buildings, and provide

support for organizations in their efforts to become more physically accessible. In order to achieve our mission, we

have outlined the following goals which will guide our awareness and advocacy efforts:1. Change mindsets in Edmonton about the feasibility of being physically accessibility;

2. Close the gap between venues and organizations which are accessible and those that are not; and,

3. Teach organizations how to assess the accessibility of their organizations using a universal, user-friendly

accessibility checklist.

Because every sector faces its own challenges specific to its activities, SPACE has recently decided to form

separate working groups that address the needs of various sectors. Weve realized through consultation with

stakeholders and focus groups within our organization that the arts and cultural sector in Edmonton faces its own

unique challenges, especially in terms of the physical accessibility of performance and exhibition venues.

Sometimes it helps when everybody speaks the same language when addressing an issue. Therefore, we formed

the SPACE in the Arts working group to campaign specifically within the arts and cultural sector and municipal

government. Our campaign will raise awareness of and advocate for physically accessible spaces within this

sector and we believe that an inclusive, physically accessible arts and cultural scene in Edmonton can become a

reality. It is our hope that through our research, awareness and advocacy efforts, and our ability to offer support

and advice, SPACE in the Arts become a valuable resource in the Edmonton arts and cultural community.

Vision

SPACE in the Arts envisions an Edmonton whose arts and cultural venues embrace the principle of Universal

Design, and are therefore physically accessible to everyone.

Mission

SPACE in the Arts will create awareness among arts and cultural organizations in Edmonton about the

advantages of owning and renting physically accessible venues, as well as support organizations in their efforts to

become more physically accessible. We will also advocate for the application of Universal Design when renovating

and constructing arts and cultural venues.

The mainsprings of cultural participation are many. Attendance at art events can take different forms and their

intensity may vary. But one thing is certain: all participation must be encouraged, facilitated, supported, and

valued socially. This involves

adaptation to the needs, affinities, circumstances, and rhythms of each person

(Brault, 2010:75).


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barriers, work to restrict the activities of people with impairments. Disability, ultimately, is socially caused'

(2004:149). It is more common now to view all people on a spectrum as part of the whole and not as segregated

subgroups of a whole.

This notion lends itself to the application of the principles of Universal Design, or that buildings and spaces are

created to meet the needs of the widest spectrum of users possible, which includes people with and without

disabilities. (Meyer & Rose, 2000). Meyers and Rose go on to express in universally designed environments,

adaptability is subtle and integrated into the design[increasing] usability for everyone (2001:39). Universal

Design address seven principles related to the physical accessibility of spaces1: equitable use, flexibility in use,

low physical effort, simple and intuitive use, perceptible information, tolerance for error, and size and space for

approach and use.

PhysicalAccessibilityinEdmonton:IssuesandTrends

Edmonton has a long history of advocacy around disability and

physical accessibility, as well as a number of policy and advisory

documents that address the inclusiveness of public spaces and

services. Policy C538 (adopted December 17, 2008) articulates the

City of Edmontons position on inclusivity and celebration of diversity. It

states The City of Edmonton will encourage institutions, organizations,

community groups and individuals in Edmonton to adopt inclusive

approaches to diversity[and identify the] removal of barriers to

participation, and barriers to service access, within the City (2012:2).

Buildings and public spaces in Edmonton are also subject to the

Alberta Building Code, which has its own requirements regardingphysical accessibility.

The Advisory Board on Services for Persons with Disabilities (ABSPD) is a resource group which advises the

public and reports directly to City Council on issues affecting people with disabilities. In 2008, the ABSPD hosted

the Achieving Accessible & Inclusive Communities conference to consider the Measuring Up in BC initiative

created by The Social Planning and Research Council of BC (SPARC BC). They thought this initiative could help

address and improve the physical accessibility of spaces in Edmonton. The main goals of SPARC BC were 1) to

assess the degree of active participation in all aspects of community life by people with disabilities, and 2) what

could be done to improve active participation. From consultation with the advisory groups in BC associated with

the initiative, ABSPD and the City of Edmonton created the Measuring Up Edmonton resource guide which

contains tools to help organizations become more physically accessible. The Measuring Up toolkit can help

organizations assess the physically accessibility of their space(s). Unfortunately, this resource was not widely

circulated to all sectors in Edmonton who could benefit from its wealth of information and checklist. This is in part

why SPACE in the Arts has created a working group to address the specific needs of the arts and cultural

community in Edmonton.

1TheseprinciplesarestatedintheAlbertaSafetyCodesCouncils2008DesignGuideandweredevelopedbyTheCenterforUniversal

Desi natNorthCarolinaStateUniversit .

Connecting with othersacrosscultures, age groups, geography andcommunities of interest is seen asessential for creating a vibrant,connected, engaged and welcomingcity.

City Vision & Strategic Plan, City ofEdmonton


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EdmontonsAgingPopulation

Another factor that contributes to the need for greater awareness of physical accessibility within Edmontons artsand culture sector is the national issue of Canadas aging population. In Alberta alone, it is projected that

approximately one in five Albertans will be a senior citizen by 2031, when the last member of the baby boomers

reaches age 65 (Government of Alberta, 2012). It is common knowledge that this generation, on average, has a

higher rate of disposable income and it stands to reason that, upon retirement, they will also have a greater

amount of time to volunteer, patronize, and participate in arts and cultural programming. However, this increase in

age-related leisure time may be accompanied by an increase in age-related health issues. Edmontons arts and

culture sector needs to take this into account if it would like to retain this desirable demographic as stakeholders.

This is especially true considering that Statistics Canada projects that more than one-quarter of Canadas

populations will be over the age of 65 by 2036; within that population, roughly 43% will have disabilities, the

majority of which being mobility and agility-related issues. This means that within the next 24 years, it is expected

that between 4.6 million and 5.1 million seniors with disabilities will be living in Canada (Human Resources andSkills Development Canada, 2011).

The arts and culture sector in Edmonton, along with society as a whole, must plan strategically to include people

with mobility issues now so as to avoid excluding a large portion of the population in the future as that population

ages. By creating age-friendly arts and cultural venues with barrier-free access, isolation and social exclusion,

which can lead to loneliness and poor health, can be mitigated in this significant portion of the population. In fact,

research has shown that arts and culture accessibility holds an important role in the creation of environments

which support active aging (Miller, 2008). Arts and culture are excellent avenues for seniors to feel socially

connected to their communities. This is due to the fact that this sector provides essential identity-affirming

opportunities for everyone as [w]e seek ourselves in works of art, to find artistic expressions for our daily or larger

problems [while] we also seek new pathways to beauty, pleasure, and happiness (Brault, 2010:62). Without theseopportunities, ones ability to experience the world and remain connected to ones community is greatly limited.

Rationale

Small to mid-sized arts and cultural organizations in Edmonton are

often forced to get creative when it comes to renting spaces for their

events. This is in part due to the dearth of venues dedicated to this

group within the arts and cultural sector. Often, organizations must rent

or purchase less than ideal spaces due to cost, location, and/or

availability. When faced with these issues, it is not surprising when

physical accessibility doesnt make it on the agenda or is not seen as apriority.

To establish the extent to which the arts and cultural section in

Edmonton has been affected by the issue of the physical accessibility,

and determine their position on the issue, SPACE in the Arts created

and circulated a short electronic survey.2

The survey was sent to 50

2APDFofthissurve canbefoundintheA endixofthisdocument.

StreetFest is the perfect exampleof accessibility at EVERYLEVEL...physical, social, intellectual,economic, cultural...could we

improve, SURE!!

Edmonton International Street

Performers Festival


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small to mid-sized arts and cultural organizations in Edmonton3

and also contained space for comments and ideas

on the issue. Based on the responses of the 14 arts managers who completed the survey, we found that a number

of organizations feel they face similar challenges when it comes to ensuring their venues are physically

accessible.

57% (8 out of 14) incorporate physical accessibility into their mandate.

93% (13 out of 14) feel it is the responsibility of arts and cultural organizations to make their programming

and/or events physically accessible.

93% (13 out of 14) feel the facilities they use for their programming and/or events are physically

accessible.

50% (7 out of 14) feel that there is more their organization can do to increase the physical accessibility of

their programming and/or events.

43% (6 out of 14) are aware that there is funding available to help make their organization more physically

accessible.

Whatcanwededucefromtheseresults?

While 93% of respondents feel it is the responsibility of arts and cultural organizations to make their

programming and/or events physically accessible, only 57% incorporate physical accessibility into their

mandates.

Even though 93% of respondents feel the facilities they

use for their programming and/or events are physically

accessible, 50% believe there is more their organization

can do to increase the physical accessibility of their

programming and/or events.

Only 43% of respondents are aware that there is funding

available to help make their organizations more

physically accessible.

The fact that 43% of respondents rent their facilities, but

cannot make structural changes is one explanation why

50% of organizations feel there is not more their

organization can do to increase the physical accessibility

of their programming and/or events.

3ThemajorityoftheseorganizationswereidentifiedfromtheEdmontonArtsCouncilsmembershiplist,whiletheremainderwere

determinedb theSPACEintheArts rou .

I would love to make our facility moreaccessible but since it is owned by theprovincial government I feel it is up tothem.

Harcourt House

As a small gallery and office located onthe third floor of a building, our boarddoes want to move both to a ground floor

location so access to all would bepossible. Government funding for ourorganization would have to be vastly

increased for us to be able to do this.

Visual Arts Alberta


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VoicesfromtheCommunity

SPACE in the Arts also contacted people with and without disabilities regarding their experiences around physical

accessibility of arts and cultural venues in Edmonton. We wanted to know whats working, whats not working, and

what people think should be done to address the issues from people who have been there, as patrons with

disabilities or as friends of those patrons.

Danielle Peers (co-founder of SPACE, PhD Candidate at the University of Alberta, and Paralympic bronze

medalist) has articulated that she has attended Take Back the Night and G8 protest marches on inaccessible

routes and equity-based academic conferences that were organized without any physical, visual, or audio

forethought. She and her friends have also experienced film festivals where wheelchair users have been deemed

fire hazards and were not allowed into theatres. Her research has shown that audience members in theatres have

complained to staff that captions during film screenings are distracting and often request that they be turned off.

Amorena is Deaf and believes the responsibility lies with organizations to make their events and programmingphysically accessible. Organizations should have a function in place where people with disabilities can phone or

email them in advance to request any type of services. She finds that organizations focus on wheelchair

accessibility and often ignore the other people that need access like the Deaf and/or blind. In her opinion, there

are accessibility challenges, especially for the Deaf. One example is the fact that only some movies at the theatre

are captioned, while others arent, limiting choice. As for sign language interpreters being available, they are out

there and ready, the only problem is that they are expensive and need to be paid for their services. Oftentimes,

she finds that it falls on the Deaf person's shoulders to cover the expenses, which she feels is not fair. All people

with disabilities should have equal access to the City's arts and cultural sector. When Amorena first moved toEdmonton, she went to the Art Gallery of Alberta and really enjoyed herself. The only thing she missed out on was

being able to go on the guided tours because she didn't have an interpreter. It would have allowed her a better and

more enjoyable gallery experience. When asked, she said she wasnt aware of how to find out about venue

accessibility other than to go online to the organizations website as TTY access is not common.


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Chad was the long-time caregiver and friend of a person with a disability who used a wheelchair. He and his friend

often went to concerts and events in Edmonton and experienced both the positive and negative impacts of

physical accessibility. Chad feels that it is the responsibility of the federal and provincial governments to provide

the funding necessary to ensure all arts, cultural, and sports venues are accessible for people with disabilities.

This would include upkeep and inspection responsibilities. In his opinion, a venues physical accessibility can be

judged on whether a persons attendant can attend the event or activity free of charge or at a subsidized rate. This

is necessary because there are people with disabilities who require attendants and their ability to access arts and

cultural events can be dependent on whether there is adequate space for their attendant. It would be the same if a

person who is Deaf needed a sign language interpreter. Chad was not aware of how or where he could access

resources regarding arts and cultural venue accessibility in Edmonton. One of his major concerns is bathroom

accessibility and design in venues. Chads experience aiding his friend in accessing washroom facilities was quite

negative and they both felt that there are so many different disabilities that need to be accommodated with respect

to washroom use that it seems impossible to create a universal washroom that fits all. On the positive side, Chad

and his friend found that staff working events were always welcoming and willing to lend a hand.

Conclusion

SPACE in the Arts believes the physical accessibility of arts and cultural venues is a fundamental moral issue that

relates to how people feel connected to one another and to their community. Our campaign will concentrate on

bringing awareness to this issue to the forefront of the minds of those working in Edmontons arts and cultural

sector. We feel that by providing educational information and facilitating dialogue on the subject, opinions about

the need for, and rationale behind the physical accessibility of arts and cultural venues will begin to change among

arts professionals. By providing the tools necessary to assess venue accessibility, it is hoped that organizations

can begin to explore the ways they can incorporate principles of Universal Design into their current venues, when

thinking about renovations, and when choosing new venue spaces to purchase or rent. SPACE in the Arts agrees

with Simon Braults assertion that The arts and culture hold promises of other visions. They renew the invitation to

remain open to experience the world. (2010:66) However, we also believe that too many individuals in Edmonton

today are needlessly denied these invitations by the very sector that provides them. This in turn creates social and

economic obstacles for both sides that we feel could be remedied through changing the ways in which people

think about disability.


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LiteratureCited

Advisory Board on Services for Persons with Disabilities. (2008).ABSPD 2008 annual report. Edmonton, AB: City

of Edmonton.Brault, S. (2010). No culture, no future. (J. Kaplansky, Trans.). Toronto, ON: Cormorant Books.

City of Edmonton. (2012). City vision & strategic plan. Retrieved from http://www.edmonton.ca/

city_government/city-vision-and-strategic-plan.aspx

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Government of Alberta. (2010).Aging population policy framework. Retrieved from 2012http://www.seniors.

alberta.ca/Seniors/AgingPopulation/docs/AgingPopulationFramework.pdf

Government of Canada. (2006). International best practices in universal design: a global review. Ottawa, ON:

Canadian Human Rights Commission.Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. (2011). Federal disability report: seniors with disabilities in

Canada. Gatineau, QC: Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.Meyer, A. & Rose, D. H. (2000). Universal Design for individual differences. Educational Leadership 58(3), 39-43.

Miller, G. R. (2008). Inclusive design must be integrated with drive for sustainability. The Ontario Planning Journal

23(3), 6-7.

Peers, D. & Eales, L. (2012). "Stand up for exclusion?: Queer pride, ableism and inequality." In M. Smith & F.

Jaffer, (Eds.). Beyond the queer alphabet: conversations on gender, sexuality, and intersectionality (pp.

39-41). Retrieved from http://www.fedcan.ca/en/blog/teaching-equity-mattersSafety Codes Council. (2008). Barrier-free design guide: design for independence and dignity for everyone,

4th ed. Edmonton, AB: Government of Alberta.Siebers, T. (2001). Disability in theory: from social constructionism to the new realism of the body. American

Literary History13(4), 737-754.

Statistics Canada. (2012). Population aging. Retrieved from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/91-215-x/2012000/partpartie2-eng.htm)

Terzi, L. (2004). The social model of disability: a philosophical critique. Journal of Applied Philosophy21(2),141157.

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