Guidelines, checklists and information sheets 

These guidelines, checklists and information sheets complement Arts For All, published by Arts Access Aotearoa in 2014. This guide provides practical tools and ideas about making your arts events, galleries, museums and venues more accessible. Please email Stace Robertson, Access, Inclusion and Participation Advisor, Arts Access Aotearoa or call 04 802 4349 for more information about these resources.

Download a copy of Arts For All: 

 Arts For All

 Arts For All accessible

An Issuu version

Disability Toolkit for Policy

For New Zealand to be a non-disabling society, we need policy and decision-makers to consider how their interventions can create a place where disabled people have an equal opportunity to achieve their goals and aspirations. The Office for Disability Issues has developed a tool to help policy-makers consider the implications of their policies for disabled people and help decision-makers consider issues through a disability lens. Visit the Office for Disability Issues website

Guide to developing an accessibility policy

Arts organisations and venues wanting to improve their accessibility are encouraged to download and read the guide How to develop and write an accessibility policy, written by Arts Access Aotearoa. The 23-page guide covers what we mean by accessibility and why arts organisations need a policy about it. It also outlines the ten stages of the “Policy Cycle” – from examining the status quo through to consultation, making it public, implementing the policy, and monitoring and evaluating its effectiveness. For more info, to watch the recorded version of the virtual Arts For All Network meeting, and to download the guide 

Getting started: commonly asked questions

These are some common questions you may be asked, and guidelines on what information to include in the answers. There are also suggestions on what you can provide to improve access. Your organisation’s responses to Accessibility: a checklist will provide many of the answers for you.

Getting started: commonly asked questions 

Getting started: commonly asked questions 

Accessibility: a checklist

This checklist will help arts organisations and venues assess their current accessibility. It refers to access requirements set down in NZS 4121: 2001 – Design for Access and Mobility but is not a legal compliance document.

Accessibility: a checklist 

Accessibility: a checklist 

Guidelines: developing an accessibility action plan

These guidelines describe what is meant by "action planning". It includes five simple steps required to develop your accessibility action plan and ten features of a good plan.

Guidelines: Developing an accessibility action plan 

Guidelines: Developing an accessibility action plan 

Guidelines: making your website accessible

Chandra Harrison, Managing Director, Access Advisors, spoke to members of the Arts For All Network in November 2021 about six things you can do to make your website more accessible. She spoke at an online meeting, facilitated by Arts Access Aotearoa, and attended by about 100 people. You can watch the video and read the transcript

Guidelines: what words to use

How we refer to people is incredibly important. Language, and what’s appropriate, is constantly evolving and so it’s important to be aware of current terms. Avoid euphemisms and don’t be afraid to ask questions about someone’s preferences. Just remember that every person is an individual.

Guidelines: what words to use (PDF 109 KB)

Guidelines: what words to use (WORD 115 KB)

Exhibition design: a checklist

This checklist can assist galleries, museums and exhibition spaces to present exhibitions that are accessible to everyone. Remember that how you present the content of an exhibition (e.g. curatorial text, captions and labels) is as important as the physical access you provide.

Exhibition design checklist

Exhibition design checklist

Smithsonian guidelines for accessible exhibition design

This guidebook created by the Smithsonian Accessibility Program emphasises that museums must do more than acknowledge their audiences’ diversity. To this end, museums must provide multiple levels of information, act on issues of cultural and gender equity, and incorporate different learning styles in their teaching. This guide to developing accessible design is very useful for exhibition designers, curators, registrars, conservators, collections managers, designers, editors, developers, educators and other exhibition team members.
 Download the Smithsonian guidelines for accessible exhibition design 

Creating accessible events

This checklist, published by Disability Services Commission and the Western Australia Government,   is designed to assist with planning events and functions that are accessible to people of all ages and abilities. It is important that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as other community members to access and participate in events and activities, including the arts.

Download Creating accessible events 

Making arts events accessible to Deaf and hard of hearing people

Aucklanders Lorraine McQuigg, Rachel Coppage and Debra Bathgate provide the following tips to make your arts events accessible to Deaf and hard of hearing people.

Making arts events accessible to Deaf and hard of hearing people

Making arts events accessible to Deaf and hard of hearing people

Making your website accessible

Chandra Harrison, Managing Director, Access Advisors, spoke to members of the Arts For All Network in November 2021 about six things you can do to make your website more accessible. She spoke at an online meeting, facilitated by Arts Access Aotearoa, and attended by about 100 people. View the video of the Arts For All Network meeting

Marketing to the disabled community: a checklist

This checklist provides suggestions on ways to provide and promote your material to people in the disabled community. Use this in conjunction with the Print and publications guidelines.

Marketing to the disabled community: a checklist 

Marketing to the disabled community: a checklist 

Print and publication guidelines

There are various ways you can provide information to your audiences to meet their different communication needs: for example, print, websites, social media, video and emails. These guidelines provide information about plain English, accessible print and alternative formats.

Print and publication guidelines 

Print and publication guidelines 

Ticketing and seating: a checklist

Ticketing and seating procedures affect an audience member’s experience of arts events: for example, the flexibility of a seating policy; the response people get when they phone to enquire about accessible seats; and the systems for booking accessible seats.

Ticketing and seating: a checklist 

Ticketing and seating: a checklist 

Access symbols: an information sheet

There is a range of internationally recognised symbols that publicise and promote accessibility. This information sheet describes the various symbols, where you can download them and where to use them.

Access symbols: information sheet 

Access symbols: information sheet 

Sign and spoken language share the theatre stage - an essay 

Read about New Zealand's only inclusive Deaf and hearing theatre company 'Equal Voices Arts'. The essay also provides practical information about Deaf culture, blending languages and visual storytelling.

One Story, Two Languages - sign and spoken language share the theatre stage