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Accessibility

About Accessibility

The Indiana Arts Commission defines accessibility as the design of environments, products, or services, for people with disabilities. Accessibility can be linked to the process of developing products and environments that can be utilized by the widest possible range of ability groups, operating within the widest possible range of situations. As a federally supported government agency, Indiana Arts Commission grant recipients must comply with all ADA requirements.

Here you will find practical resources for completing grant applications as well as resources for trying new approaches and creating an inviting environment for everyone:

  • Complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and providing accommodations for people with disabilities is not only your legal responsibility, it’s good business practice and it’s the right thing to do.
  • Make sure you have a plan in place before being presented with an accessibility accommodation request.
  • You can utilize our self-assessment checklist to consider some of the ways you will need to be accessible to the public with your public funding.
  • If you're unsure how to tell if you're being compliant with IAC standard, click here to review warranty methods.
IAC strives to be accessible to all and serve as a model to the state. We also strive to move our field forward in this work through programs, policies, capacity building, and technical assistance. To help us in this work, we developed the Accessibility in the Arts Advisory Committee (AAAC). Click here to meet the committee.
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Hoosier Women Artists: An Opportunity for Self-Expression

For Indiana’s 100,000 Hoosiers with an intellectual or developmental disability, the arts provide a unique opportunity for self-expression and socialization. One of the best places to see this in action is at the annual Hoosier Women Artists celebration.

Artist Spotlight: Karin Willison

Karin blogs about her travels on her website "Free Wheel in Travel", and she works as the Disability Editor at The Mighty, a popular website where people share their personal experiences with disability, disease, and mental illness.

What does it look like to step into the unknown and try something new?

For 46 years Audiences Unlimited, Inc. (AUI), has brought professional musicians into long-term health care facilities across five Northeast Indiana counties. Learn how they expanded their services a few years back.

ArtMix: A Daily Celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on July 26, 1990. While organizations like ArtMix existed before this date, they were drastically ahead of their time.

Adding Color to Life through Art

The arts give those who struggle with conventional communication a way to overcome physical limitations and achieve expression and connection. Click to read about a South Bend program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Scheduling an ASL Interpreter

What should you know before scheduling an American Sign Language interpreter? In this video, Indiana Arts Commission Arts Education and Accessibility Manager Stephanie Haines chats with Luna Language Services' Director of ASL Services and Education Rebecca Buchan to answer some frequently asked questions.

Making Accommodations

What kinds of accommodations can you make for the arts to be more accessible to people with disabilities? This short video shares some ideas from Easterseal Crossroads' Brian Norton.

Helpful Resources

Organizations Ready to Help

Guides for Planning

Looking for a list of ASL interpreters? Click here.

Research

Need to talk to someone about accessibility? Contact IAC Accessibility Manager, Stephanie Haines at shaines@iac.in.gov.