Accessibility
Accessibility requires attention in all phases of organization: from initial idea to implementation. On this theme page you will find information on how to make your organization and/or event accessible to all.
We would like culture to be available and accessible to all. Yet barriers can arise unknowingly. Think of a site that is difficult for people in wheelchairs, a location without clear signage, or a website without a read-aloud function. This can unintentionally exclude part of the audience - as well as creators or artists. Accessibility therefore requires attention at all stages of an event: from the initial idea to the execution.
What do we mean by accessibility?
An event is accessible when people with and without disabilities can make the same choices about visiting and experiencing it. So it is not only about physical access, but also about experience, communication and safety.
The pages in this knowledge base are structured around five themes:
For whom is this information intended?
As an organizer, making an event accessible can be quite a challenge. What types of disabilities do you need to take into account? And how do you approach it practically?
The main tool for this is the Accessible Events Checklist - developed together with cultural entrepreneurs, the APCG (Arnhems Platform Chronisch Zieken en Gehandicapten) and the municipality of Arnhem. This checklist helps organizers to determine how far they are already with making their event accessible and where there is still room for improvement.
Checklist by role
You make an accessible event together - from programming to production, from marketing to ticketing. That's why we've broken down the checklist into three job-specific checklists for convenience, tailored to your role. That way, you'll quickly know what you can do to make your event open to all.
🎨 For program makers
Make accessibility a natural part of your artistic choices. With attention to inclusive content, interpreters of Dutch Sign Language, low-stimulation performances and collaboration with creators with disabilities.
Program maker checklist
🧰 For producers
Make everyone feel welcome on the premises. This checklist helps with practical choices around décor, safety, staffing and collaboration with vendors.
Checklist producers
📣 For marketers
Reach and inform all visitors with accessible communication. Inclusive language, good imagery and clear public information - it starts with the right words.
Checklist marketers
Podcast
In the podcast series Accessible Events, experienced visitors and experts share their experiences and presenter Tim Kroesbergen questions them on how to make it even better. Listen to all podcast episodes, including transcript, here.
Podcast: Accessible Events
In this podcast series, experienced visitors and experts share their experiences at (accessible) events and presenter Tim Kroesbergen questions them on how to make it even better.
Bonus tip!
In our neighboring country, they are already one step further: there is the Accessible Event Label. This quality label from Inter (the Flemish accessibility expertise center) gives organizers tools to make events truly accessible, from accessibility and sanitation to the entire experience. No harm in taking a peek at their brochure and checklist - they offer many practical tips that can also be applied in the Netherlands.
Funding
How do you fund a cultural project? On the Cultuur Academy knowledge base we show you step by step how to go about it. The structure of these pages follows the logical order in which cultural projects arise: from first idea to execution - and beyond. You start with concept development, work on a realistic budget, research funding sources, learn to justify and think about the future.
Grants and funds
Would you like to apply for a subsidy or fund for your cultural initiative, but don't know where to start? On this page we clearly explain what subsidies and funds are, how to make a good application, and what to look out for. You will also find out which funds you can apply for directly through Cultuur Academy .
Marketing and communications
Marketing and communications is at its core about reaching your audience. Because no matter what you make or what service you provide as an artist or cultural organization, without an audience you are nowhere. But how do you figure out who your audience is and how to reach them?