The Covid-19 pandemic, with its lockdowns and curfews, has forced arts and cultural organisations in the UK to get creative with their operations. In order to continue to provide arts and cultural content during lockdown, many organisations turned to digital platforms. What has emerged is the issue of accessibility - the ease of access to information and services for all people. There are many considerations that need to be taken into account when delivering events or publishing content online that are accessible and inclusive, especially for disabled practitioners and audiences.
With the many changes that have happened, we expect there will still be a demand for online programmes post-pandemic. As we look to the future of arts and cultural organisations, it is essential that we gain the know-how to understand and meet the diverse needs of disabled people so that cultural activities and art can be inclusive and enjoyable for all.
In this forum, speakers from two UK disability-led arts organisations will share the work they have been doing to improve the accessibility of online art and culture content for everyone. Discussion points include: What actions have they taken to meet the needs of disabled artists and audiences since the pandemic? How has the digital shift affected access to culture and the arts for disabled people? What are the potential barriers to participation in online events and access to content, and how can they be removed?
Event Outline
Date/time: 18:00-19:30 (JST), Thursday 25 March 2021
Organised by: British Council
Participation: The event is free (with Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation)
Register: Please sign up via the online registration form
Platform: Zoom (a link for accessing the forum will be sent to participants)
Speakers
Jo Verrent (Senior Producer / Unlimited)
Kao Kanamori (Executive Officer, Publicity & Branding Director / precog co., LTD.)