2.5 Enable access

Enable access by providing ample resources and opportunities, especially with D/deaf and Disabled people. This will result in increased innovation and care.

Context

We vow to enable access by providing ample resources and opportunities for everyone. Recognizing the critical value of access, we seek to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of everyone regardless of ability, disability, or access needs.

This pledge is especially vital to our work with D/deaf and Disabled people, who often face multiple barriers such as physical, communication, attitudinal, financial, representation, and information access challenges when engaging with arts and culture. We aim to address these challenges by improving accessibility, cultivating inclusivity, and promoting the needs of D/deaf and Disabled individuals. By doing so, we believe we can help strengthen creativity and innovation where everyone can participate fully by contributing their unique talents and perspectives.

As a disability-founded organization, we are committed to embedding a disability and accessibility-led mindset in all our activities and hiring practices. This includes engaging more directly with D/deaf and Blind people and expanding our care and accessibility measures to support those with physical, developmental, mental health, neurodiversity, chronic pain or illness, and other disabilities. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered, paving the way for a truly accessible, inclusive, and innovative community. 

Care

Our approach to care for this pledge includes nurturing wisdoms, ecosystems, and platforms that enable access.

Wisdoms

Ecosystems

Platforms

Codicil

Additional notes and reflections about this pledge to be added to this section over time, including ties to caring internal and external practices, impact evaluation, identification of gaps and barriers, unanswered questions, learning insights, and more.

Internal practices

What are some of the internal practices that we will draw upon to fulfill this pledge? 

External practices

What are some of the external practices that we will draw upon to fulfill this pledge?

Impact practices

What are some of external impact practices that we can draw upon to track and evaluate our impact for this pledge? Among others, these could include Sustainable Development Goals (SDG); Environment, Sustainability, Governance (ESG); Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW); Vital Signs; Equitable Evaluation Framework (EEF); and a variety of qualitative impact frameworks in arts and culture.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG)

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW)

Vital Signs

Equitable Evaluation Framework (EEF)

Qualitative Impact Measures

Gaps and barriers

What are some of the gaps and barriers we anticipate or experience in advancing this pledge?

Unanswered questions

What are some of the unanswered questions we anticipate or experience in advancing this pledge?

Learning insights

What are some of the learning insights we anticipate or experience in advancing this pledge?

Additional resources

What are additional resources that have helped us fulfill this pledge?