Disability and Access Scheme
Statement of Intent
Art Asia aims to be inclusive and accessible to all. It seeks to ensure that it can offer all its users - including audiences, participants and artists - access to an equally high quality of experience, regardless of their different needs. This includes physical, intellectual and economic access.
This aim informs Art Asia’s policies, procedures and practice in all areas: building and staff, artistic programme, education and outreach, audience development, and marketing (see below for detailed Objectives).
Its strategy is to seek to remove barriers to participation for those who are disadvantaged in any way, and to actively promote to new audiences and in new ways to broaden participation.
The complaints procedure is a means for customers to raise issues regarding access.
Background
One of the Objectives underpinning our Mission Statement is ‘to create access to South Asian arts for all’.
Art Asia’s Disability and Access Action Plan is based on
Addressing issues of access following the award of an Arts Capital Lottery grant to move to new/refurbished premises which gave us the opportunity to address the limitations to physical access which our current premises have.
The findings of an Access Audit undertaken in 2005 on both our offices and Activities Centre with Southampton Centre for Independent Living (SCIL). Some of the actions for the offices have been brought to the attention of the landlord as we are currently renting and cannot make major alterations.
Arts Council England (ACE) ‘Disability Access, A Good Guide for the Arts’
Much of our work is carried out in partnership with other organisations and at other venues. We will seek to encourage best practice with regards to Disability and Access issues with all such partners.
Resources
Our aim is to address access in a holistic way, and to ensure we have a flexible and positive attitude which aims to maximise access within the resources that we have. Our Scheme is underpinned with an Action Plan, which will be monitored and updated on a regular basis, and an Access budget to cover costs of training, producing information in alternative formats, and other access needs.
Education and Outreach Policy
2007 - 2010
Art Asia’s Mission Statement is “To promote and develop high quality performance of South Asian arts, music and dance, enhanced by educational activities to provide a rich and satisfying experience for all.” We want to create a thriving, sustainable South Asian arts scene in the region.
We recognise that actively engaging people is the key to developing understanding and appreciation of South Asian arts.
We are committed to providing the highest quality arts experience for all our audiences and participants.
In particular, Art Asia’s education work is intended to:
- Promote a positive image of South Asian arts
- Create access to South Asian arts for all
- Encourage and nurture local talent