We have an access centred practice, drawing on our experiences as disabled artists and extensive training including “Train The Trainer: Disability Equality Training” from Little Cog

 

We want to:

• work in flexible, transparent, welcoming ways

• create and share accessible, inclusive opportunities, spaces and support structures

 

We know:

•  this is an ongoing process

• we won’t always get everything right for everyone all the time

 

We want to know if there are things we could be doing differently.

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• If you’d like to contact us about anything relating to access please: Email info.ladykitt@gmail.com with the heading “Access”

• You can also book a brief 121 access chat with Kitt / project coordinator Beth Stead by emailing info.ladykitt@gmail.com with the heading “Access chat”.

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We'll aim to get back to you within 2 weeks of receiving your email, however at busy times (particularly during the summer) we may take a little longer.

 

We have developed the access manifesto below collaboratively and are currently doing the following things to grow our work in accessible ways.

 

We will:

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• Ensure there is an access fund for all our activities: providing vital money for access & helping to weave conversations about access throughout our processes

• Invite artists and communities we collaborate with to share their access requirements and statements:  advocate for artists creating access riders by sharing Disability Arts Online template https://disabilityarts.online/magazine/opinion/access-rider-open-template/ 

• Approach access as a multisensory and creative practice: smell, taste, sight, sound and touch can be included in our processes and projects. Be led by “aesthetics of access” (developed by Graeae  Theatre)-  ways in which accessibility influences and shapes creative work in wonderful, unexpected ways

• Remember that Haste Excludes: doing things in a short time frame, especially if this includes long / extra / late working hours creates a vast array of barriers- we will advocate for longer time scales for projects & activities and build a “beat of pauses” into our own ways of working

• Build work on the understanding that access isn’t only about removing barriers experienced by disabled people: ·we know that barriers to access are created and perpetuated by, endemic, systematic, global inequalities and we will make spaces, opportunities, networks of mutual care and sites of creativity & connection that actively challenge and dismantle these

 

What we won't do, EVER:

• Use the phrase “fully accessible”- we understand that nothing is, or can be. Everyone’s access requirements are different and may sometimes be in direct opposition to each other. 

• Ask people to disclose their specific conditions and diagnosis, or ask for medical details. 

• Make assumptions about someone's capacity and ability

 

 

Ways we are making this happen:

 

General:

• Commit to having an access, well being and care check in at the start of our regular weekly meetings and project meetings. Add this to meeting agendas and workshop plans

• Do an access, well  being and care check out at the end of longer workshops, meetings and days. Add this to meeting agendas, workshop plans and schedules

• In meetings, have a least a 5 minute break for every 60 minutes. This gives people a vital opportunity to stretch, lay down, get a drink, take medication and re-centre focus etc.

• Add an access budget line to all future budgets andfundraising targets 

• Commit to supporting and holding each other accountable for growing our activities from a place of access and creativity. If we see something a colleague, other organization or artist is doing that is great- we will share and celebrate it. If we notice something that we feel could be different or  improved, we will get in touch, in a spirit of kindness and support. We will be open to other people’s suggestions and experiences. 

 

Events:

• Find out about access in the spaces we are using and share this info in a timely and accessible manner with attendees, artists, colleagues, visitors and collaborators

• Refer to and display the illustrated Safer Braver Spaces agreement  in online and physical spaces

• Always invite attendees, artists, colleagues to share their access requirements, documents or riders with us (add this as an action to project plans)

 

Marketing, communicatiosn and social media:

• Add Image descriptions or ALT text to all images

• Add subtitles and audio description to all videos

• Add info about step-free access, close by accessible parking options, accessible toilets, changing places,  baby changing and feeding, hearing loops, for all non-digital activities.

• Add invitation to get in touch with any questions or suggestions about access with an email address or contact number of a relevant person who has capacity to respond to enquiries. On our websites and publicity give an honest and achievable estimate about how long it will take to reply to access enquiries.

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