Welcome To Our Exhibition
At The Table
A neon blue light which says welcome
First, we have some information to share about the exhibition and
accessibility before you begin viewing
A graphic image about information. An 'info here' arrow, letter i, a clip board, and the word information
We thought it would be useful before you enter the exhibition, to share information about the context of the exhibition and why both Disconsortia and exhibitions like this are necessary. Lots of important decisions are made at tables we are rarely invited to so we have something to say about that.
There is also information here about the accessibility of the exhibition, and the different access features used.
And finally we've shared some information about how to navigate the exhibition. We hope it feels like a journey which is signposted throughout, and always a route (or button) back to base camp!
Context
Why we need to hold this exhibition: At The Table - A Poem
A meeting table with chairs around it and the word change in large letters is on top of the table
At The Table
Apparently there is a table.
Some people know that they automatically have seats there -
they don't hesitate to sit down,
taking up their place.
A place of power.
Some other people are invited to the table,
to sit there regularly and be part of the conversations,
the planning, the decisions, and the privilege.
And there are some people occasionally invited
to sit at the table to talk about their specificity -
it's regarded as 'different' from the core inhabitants of the table.
There is another group of people,
a majority of disabled people who still
have no idea where the table is,
don't know what the table looks like
or even if there is just one table.
Maybe there are more.
Where do you sit?
Vici Wreford-Sinnott
Accessibility
For artists and audiences of this exhibition
A graphic with lots of accessibility icons and words relating to them - BSL Realxed space, audio description, easy read, overload free and captions
Disabled people experience obstacles and barriers to fully taking part and contributing in daily life, never mind a fulfilling career in the arts.
Part of our responsibility to each other as artists at Disconsortia has been accessibility - which has meant a range of things from providing BSL interpreters and information, large print, information on green backgrounds, time to process, the space to speak, the space not to speak but to be there, understanding of our common exclusion, childcare, payment for time and artwork, accessible methods of working online, information in audio, keyboard shortcuts for the zoom platform, being sensitive and supportive around language, active chairing of meetings, knowing when not to use the chat function in zoom, visibility, profile and being a literal lifeline.
Part of our passion is to ensure the work we share is as accessible as possible to audiences. So in our live private view we have BSL interpretation, live captions and audio description. You can be with us but choose to be off-camera. And you will find the following access features within the exhibition:
Part of our responsibility to each other as artists at Disconsortia has been accessibility - which has meant a range of things from providing BSL interpreters and information, large print, information on green backgrounds, time to process, the space to speak, the space not to speak but to be there, understanding of our common exclusion, childcare, payment for time and artwork, accessible methods of working online, information in audio, keyboard shortcuts for the zoom platform, being sensitive and supportive around language, active chairing of meetings, knowing when not to use the chat function in zoom, visibility, profile and being a literal lifeline.
Part of our passion is to ensure the work we share is as accessible as possible to audiences. So in our live private view we have BSL interpretation, live captions and audio description. You can be with us but choose to be off-camera. And you will find the following access features within the exhibition:
- A programme to access the exhibition and all contributions
- Clear information and instructions about how to access the work on each page
- Content awareness information including age suitability, strong language, adult references, triggers
- All visual exhibits such as photographs, paintings, collages, books, films and animations will have audio description or image descriptions attached to them. This is in the form of both individual captions and broader transcripts suitable for screenreaders for visually impaired people.
- Films have subtitles, although both of the films submitted by Deaf artists have accompanying transcripts instead for artistic reasons explained with the exhibits
Tools to Navigate the Exhibition
Getting Around
A graphic with a magnifying glass, a lap top, arrows pointing this way and that way, a button which says click this and a spanner.
- There is a single page main programme, featuring all 15 artists, introductions to their work, age suitability and links to all the exhibits. You can return to this page from anywhere in the exhibition.
- Each page in the exhibition has a 'Return to the Exhibition Programme' button
- The work of some artists is on a single page with all accompanying instructions on how to access it
- The work of some artists is on several pages with clear explanations
- Some sets of photographs and images are in slide shows which you can watch or control manually
Copyright - all work is owned and copyrighted to the artists named here in this At The Table Exhibition. All Rights Reserved. None of the work may be used without the artists written permissions.
