Exhibition, the journal of exhibition theory and practice published by the American Alliance of Museum, is currently seeking proposals for its Fall 2025 issue: "Accessing the Museum: Reflecting on 35 Years of ADA."
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990. This landmark legislation extended civil rights protections to those with a wide range of conditions, ensuring that employers, public services, and public entities like businesses, schools, theaters, and museums could not discriminate against anyone with a disability-physical, cognitive, sensory, or otherwise.
Thirty-five years after its passage, many institutions have challenged themselves to make meaningful improvements, such as changing the design of their physical galleries, the sizes and formats of text labels, and the kinds of programs they offer to better ensure accessibility. Yet many accessibility barriers within museums remain. For example, audio description and tactile experiences are not ubiquitous to all museums; captions, especially for sounds and art installations, are often not present for people who are d/Deaf; and programmatic alternatives for people who cannot physically enter spaces are limited and not nearly as dynamic as the experience itself. And so, as the law celebrates its 35th anniversary, we ask: How far have we come in making our museums, exhibitions, and programs accessible to all? How far do we still have to go to move from granting access to creating truly inclusive environments that are engaging and welcoming for all?
Proposals will be due January 6, 2025. Read the full call and helpful tips for submitting a strong proposal on our website.
------------------------------
Jeanne Goswami
Consultant
Salem MA
------------------------------