News
Heritage and access seminar tells significant stories
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n November 2011 Accessible Arts in partnership with Museums and Galleries NSW, presented the seminar Platform to Heritage: Accessible Arts in Heritage Sites. The seminar showcased rich and varied accounts of how both conservation and access have been successfully integrated into an inclusive and invigorating relationship with our heritage environments.
The seminar followed on from Accessible Arts’ Removing the Obstacles report which looked at potential conflict between heritage legislation and anti-discrimination laws.
A panel of experts presented from the perspectives of heritage, access and architecture, as well as from the pointy end of implementation. Informed perspectives and gritty legislation about both heritage and disabilty access and discrimination, complimented lots of well illustrated examples and case studies.
Delegates from over 20 organisations attended the seminar including city councils, galleries, museums and historic houses around the region.
One of the highlights of the day was the engaging presention by Julie Baird, Acting Assistant Director of the recently renovated Newcastle Museum. In her presentation “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” Julie emphasised inclusion as the driving force:
to incorporate physical, intellectual and community accessibility in the entire museum, not because of legalities, but because we wanted as many visitors as possible not only to visit but to feel that their stories and their lives were significant and recognised by Newcastle Museum.
Thanks to Museums and Galleries NSW, documentation of all presentations are available online.