President George H. W. Bush signs the Americans With Disabilities Act Into Law, July 26, 1990 Photo: Courtesy George H. W. Bush Presidential Library
More than anything else, the arts are about the spirit. Why do we sing, dance, or sculpt? We do so when words are not enough, and the spirit takes over. It is the spirit that knows no walls, no curbs, no boundaries, and cannot be shackled. Understand that, and you understand why a woman dances in a wheelchair, a Deaf man takes to the stage, and tells a story with his hands and his face, or a man with no sight sings the blues.
Approximately 16 percent of Maine residents have some type or some level of disability. The Maine Arts Commission works to ensure persons with disabilities have access to enjoy and participate in the arts. We work with arts venues to help them understand their obligations under the Americans With Disabilities Act and the Architectural Barriers Act; we work with venues to help them with outreach to disability communities, ensuring those communities are welcomed, and we work with them to ensure the best use is made of assistive listening devices and other technologies.
The language we use to describe persons with disabilities and discuss accommodations must be welcoming and free of stereotypes, being careful to honor the dignity of every person who participates in the arts. In sum, it must be “person first” language. More information about “person first” language can be found by clicking one of the following link:
http://www.acdd.org/pfl.pdf
Invite Us
We'd love to come talk to your organization about accessibility, why it's important, and what you need to do to make your operations more accessible. We'll come make a presentation, help walk you through the ADA and a 504 Self Assessment and Accessibility plan (everyone should have one.) All it takes is a phone call. Here's the contact information:
Keith Ludden
Accessibility Coordinator
Maine Arts Commission
25 State House Station
207/287-2713
Keith.ludden@maine.gov
Accessibility Public Service Announcements
The arts are for everyone. Everyone has something to contribute; everyone has something to gain from the arts. It doesn’t matter if an individual uses a wheelchair, or an assistive listening device; navigates without vision, or speaks a language other than English. Everyone deserves the chance to fully participate in the arts. In an effort to advocate for accessibility in the arts, the Maine Arts Commission has produced a series of public service announcements featuring persons with disabilities and their perspective on what it means to be able to access or participate in the arts.
Click for details
More Resources on Accessibility
The Maine Arts Commission includes linguistic barriers in its definition of accessibility. The agency works to ensure that all cultures, using all languages are welcome and encouraged to practice their arts in Maine.
For more information about accessibility or to request an accommodation, contact:Keith Ludden, accessibility and special projects associate at 207/287-2713. NexTalk user ID: keith.ludden keith.ludden@maine.gov