In an effort to better welcome and support artists from underrepresented communities, 303 has been working to improve the accessibility of its services since 2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a few informal conversations with members of the community and an evaluation of the studio’s physical accessibility by K\u00e9roul, we sought financial support from CAM to conduct a consultation to learn about and understand the needs of the Deaf and disabled artists’ community in regard to the professional training available in Montreal and more specifically, at Studio 303. We prioritized our professional workshops rather than taking a generic, global approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The consultation took place in the midst of the pandemic and was led by Maxime D.-Pomerleau, artist, cultural worker and consultant to 303.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Consultation Individual interviews with four other people, including two teachers, an accessibility researcher and consultant, and an artist with a disability were conducted in parallel to obtain additional information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We did not conduct scientific research \u2014 scientific research on the matter already exists and has inspired us! Here are some of the findings we hope will help our peers and the community at large to move forward in their own accessibility and inclusion efforts. We know that it is difficult to know where to start, especially with the limited resources in our community, and we are not immune to this reality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The artists consulted told us that their primary motivation for taking a workshop was to deepen an aspect of their practice (50%), followed by stimulating their creativity (37.5%) and networking (12.5%).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Diverse Needs Communication = Accessibility Specifically for artists from the Deaf community, interpretation in Langue des Signes Qu\u00e9b\u00e9coise (LSQ) or American Sign Language (ASL) is sometimes essential to understanding oral instructions as well as written texts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Community Spirit Deaf people identify as a cultural and linguistic minority community. We will speak more of “deafhood” than of deafness to underline the sense of belonging. We must therefore take the issues and challenges of the community as those experienced by communities in a minority situation, and move away from the medical approach of disability<\/p>\nConsultation report by Maxime D.-Pomerleau <\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n This consultation was the first phase of Studio 303’s project to improve accessibility and inclusion. More specifically, these were our first steps, over the 2021-2022 season:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professional workshops Communications Our space Finally, we have established internal procedures and follow-up processes for these actions and will continue our self-training efforts on accessibility issues as a team. It is important to note that we want to take our time in this project, and that this will be an ongoing learning process in which there will be room for improvement, feedback and most likely mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Movement in the milieu Documents made by Studio 303 Physical Accessibility Communication tools
<\/strong>Following a call for applications, we held focus group discussions with 12 artists with live art practices to discuss their desires, needs and aspirations, as well as their expectations as potential participants in Studio 303 activities. We also interviewed them individually about their preferred resources for training. These artists also individually completed a short questionnaire to share their artistic interests and preferred sources of information for training research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFindings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>There are a multitude of disabilities (physical, visual, hearing, mental health, autism spectrum, intellectual disability). It is important to be informed on these realities in order not to put all the burden of awareness on the artists. The needs of a diverse clientele are divergent and can sometimes be in opposition when they are in the same place or at the same activity. It is the responsibility of cultural institutions to understand this constellation of situations and needs and to be flexible, but also realistic about their ability to respond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Artists need to have all the information to be able to make informed choices about their participation in an activity. Our role is to facilitate access to this information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Not surprisingly, one aspect that emerged from the consultation was the lack of community for Deaf and disabled artists. The desire to meet other artists and to exchange with peers around the topic of contemporary creation is clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nActions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ll start by working in these three main areas\u2014we aim to renew our objectives each season:
\u2014 Accessibility of professional workshops<\/strong>
\u2014 Accessibility of our space
\u2014 Accessibility of communications <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>\u2014 2<\/strong> accessible (+) workshops,<\/strong> including support for accessibility expenses so that artists can participate without having to pay additional costs. This is a pilot project that we are 100% self-funding.
\u2014 Expand the workshop bursary<\/strong> (formerly referred to as the BIPOC bursary) to include Deaf and disabled artists.
\u2014 Add<\/strong> information about the conditions and accessibility<\/strong> of all our professional workshops by asking teachers for more information and details about the content of their workshop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>\u2014 Dedicate a section on our website to accessibility, with new and improved information.
\u2014 Add LSQ<\/strong> and ASL<\/strong> videos for the accessible (+) workshops and some other pages on the website.
\u2014 Add optional self-identification questions<\/strong> to our workshop registration forms for all participants to better understand and meet our communities needs.
\u2014 Create tools for the community<\/strong> (evening classes, renters, or event organizers) to better communicate accessibility-related information about their activities at 303.
\u2014 Communicate<\/strong> this accessibility process to the 303 community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>\u2014 Carry out minor renovations in the studio to meet certain physical accessibility criteria (changing the door handle, water fountain, etc.). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nResources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Studio 303’s consultation process fits in with the cultural sector’s current reflections on inclusion and diversity in its practices, and is in line with other institutions:
\u2014 Charter for an accessible, inclusive and equitable culture project<\/em><\/strong><\/a> \u2013 Exeko
\u2014 Deaf and Disability Arts Practices in Canada<\/em><\/a><\/strong> \u2013 Canada Council of the Arts<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Teacher’s Guide to workshop accessibility<\/em><\/a><\/strong>
\u2014<\/strong> Guide to organizing an accessible event at Studio 303<\/strong><\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 K\u00e9roul<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Web Accessibility Standards (In French only)<\/em><\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 Gouvernement du Qu\u00e9bec : Secr\u00e9tariat du Conseil du tr\u00e9sor
\u2014 Quelques conseils simples pour rendre un site web plus accessible (In French only)<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 <\/em>Laboratoire de promotion de l’accessibilit\u00e9 du web
\u2014 How do I add captions to my Page’s video on Facebook?<\/a> <\/em><\/strong>\u2013 Facebook
\u2014<\/strong> Translate videos and captions \u2013 Add subtitles and captions<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 Youtube<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n