Find information and guidelines for access in buildings following the Disability Discrimination Act
Find information and guidelines for access in buildings following the Disability Discrimination Act
By
Anne Hornsby
Arts Council England
‘Action for Access’ are guidelines for how to approach ensuring arts buildings are accessible for all users and audiences. The follow the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act. And pull together the leading example of several arts venues across the country. They are useful for building managers and arts marketers or audience development professions wishing to ensure their venue is accessible for all audiences.
Meeting the access requirements of wheelchair users and people with mobility difficulties
People who have mobility impairments have different skills in getting around. There are 400,000 wheelchair users in the country who may always use a wheelchair or may walk or stand for short periods. Some people who use crutches, walking frames or walking sticks will be able to negotiate a couple of steps; for others the steps will present a barrier to attendance. Steps, the heights of counters, the heights of pictures and labels in galleries and the angle of the light on them, non-accessible toilets, handles at the wrong height, uneven floors, thick carpets, doormats, steep ramps, heavy doors, small lifts, doors that open towards you, doors that require two hands to operate, and narrow doors all present real barriers.
