BSL project in EdinburghEveryone project final evaluation

presentation

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Susan Humble, ArtlinkCaitlin Page and Sheena Macdonald, The Fruitmarket Gallery

Zoë Fothergill, Talbot Rice Gallery

BSL project in Edinburgh

• Improving access to contemporary art for the Deaf community

• Aims of our project:

• Explore experiences of Deaf visitors in accessing the visual arts

• Build lasting and trusting relationships between galleries and Deaf audiences

• Work with Deaf individuals to develop user-led access solutions

• Share experiences and solutions with a wider network to develop long-term provision

• Provide training/professional development opportunities for Deaf individuals

Findings

• What we did

• Issues

• Marketing

• Findings

What we did

• Staff received deaf awareness training

• Mystery shopper

• Launch and visits

• BSL poetry event

Issues

• Definition - deaf / Deaf / BSL user

• Setting up events - mixed audience

• Communication - written English

Example text• Hello XX

• BSL event: Visual Poetry and Visual Art - An evening with Richard Carter

• Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh - Wednesday 19 October, 5.30 - 7.30pm

• It is FREE. All welcome.

• Are you planning to come?

• Can you let me know YES or NO, please? That would be very kind. (Many thanks)

• Cheers

• Sheena

• Everyone BSL Project Co-ordinator

Marketing• Contacts

• Deaf organisations

• Other organisations

• Individuals

• Timing

Findings• Involvement and feedback

from Deaf people

• Contradictions and complexities

• Working with interpreters

• Continuing the progress by including Deaf people in the process

Talbot Rice Gallery Events1. Launch2. BSL Interpreted Tour3. Visual Art Visual Poetry

TRG Equality & Diversity Update1. UoE new E&D Strategic Action Plan 11/122. Accessibility Audit3. Assistant Curator (Equality & Diversity)

Tours, training and schools

• Deaf-led tours

• Training for interpreters and Deaf individuals to lead tours

• Intensive Deaf and hearing schools project

In-gallery and online possibilities

• Subtitles and BSL interpretation for films

• Simplified text/BSL versions of web and in-gallery text

Summary of proposed future programme

• BSL interpreted tour

• Deaf-led tour

• Training

• Arts workshops

• Schools project

• In-gallery and online

The Fruitmarket Gallery equality plans

• Equalities embedded into our Learning Strategy

• Updated Equality Policy and Action Plan by March 2012

• Equality Officer role embedded into Learning role

• Board member with responsibility for equalities

Reflection on aims

• Improving access to contemporary art for the Deaf community

• Aims of our project:

• Explore experiences of Deaf visitors in accessing the visual arts

• Build lasting and trusting relationships between galleries and Deaf audiences

• Work with Deaf individuals to develop user-led access solutions

• Share experiences and solutions with a wider network to develop long-term provision

• Provide training/professional development opportunities for Deaf individuals