Sharing the Experience at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Art-Reach hosted "Share the Experience" at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) on Friday, June 11th.  The event, a program of Art-Reach's Independence Starts Here cultural access initiative, encouraged guests—including donors, members, and community leaders—to experience art as people who are blind or visually impaired experience it.

To begin the event, the  Philadelphia Museum of Art shared a number of tools it provides through its Accessible Programs to enhance the museum experience for people with visual impairments.  These include Braille and raised-line museum maps as well as touchable interpretations of art such as tactile representations, miniature sculptures, and three-dimensional replications of two-dimensional paintings.  These tools were on display at the event for guests to touch and experience, with written descriptions to serve as a guide for those who are blind or visually impaired.

While such tools help open up the world of art to those with visual impairments, they are only part of what makes visual art accessible to those with disabilities.  As Street Thoma, Manager of Accessible Programs at the PMA says, "The most important way to make art accessible is the language that we use to describe things."  One key element of art accessibility is audio description.

At the event, audio described tours were available for event attendees.  For guests with visual impairments, the tour gave them an opportunity to experience a work of art in the Museum's collection through audio description.  For guests with sight, blindfolds were provided to allow them to experience the art as those who are visually impaired experience it.  Sighted guests were encouraged to put on their blindfolds or close their eyes before viewing the art being described, allowing them to rely on the description alone without any visual point of reference.
  

After the audio describer presented a description of one of the PMA's paintings, guests were asked about their experience.  One guest with sight said, "It was captivating to hear her [the audio describer] speak.  The way she presented information was very thoughtful."  Another sighted guest said, "I enjoyed the way it [the audio description] was presented.  It unfolded like a story, and the description was neutral, so it gave you the opportunity to interpret it yourself."  One guest who is visually impaired said, "It was almost like I could see it [the painting]," while another commented on the importance of asking clarifying questions during any audio description.  "You can't make quick judgments; you have to ask if you can't see the details."

For more information about the Accessible Programs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, including the Form in Art program, call (215) 684-7602 or TTY (215) 684-7600 or e-mail AccessProg@philamuseum.org.

- By Jennifer Oglesbee
Jennifer is a Special Projects Ambassador in the Art-Reach Ambassador Program

Audio Description: Part II - A first hand experience

On a crisp fall afternoon, I settle into my seat at The Arden Theater for a production of The History Boys.  I’ve just finished speaking with Jenn Peck, General Manager at the Arden, who will be the audio describer for the performance.  Audio description allows people who are blind or have low vision to enjoy equal access to cultural events by providing descriptive information.  Peck audio describes three to five shows per year, believing strongly that the arts should be equally accessible to all.  In addition, she says, “Audio description gives me an artistic turn at things and an opportunity to be part of the performance.”
Prior to the start of the show, the House Manager provides listeners who are blind or have low vision with a wireless earpiece.  Peck begins with pre-show notes, preparing listeners with any essential descriptions she will not have time to give during the performance.  She provides a description of the stage, key characteristics of the main characters (e.g., skin color, what they are wearing), and an overview of two pivotal scenes happening in the first act.  As the performance begins, she gives listeners cues to what is happening on stage, such as “Stage manager exits” and “Blackout.” 

During the performance, Peck provides brief descriptions to give listeners only the most essential information, such as “Hector enters,” “Felix shakes his head,” and “She puts her hand on his shoulder.”  Succinct descriptions are particularly important for a show like The History Boys, which is heavy in dialogue.  When deciding what to describe, Peck says that the audio describer chooses “whatever moves the story forward,” rather than providing a running commentary.  Audio describers avoid interrupting dialogue unless absolutely necessary to convey key information.  As I listen, I realize that there are often several minutes during which there is no description at all, allowing listeners to fully hear every aspect of the performance. 
After the show, I have the opportunity to talk with several consumers of audio description.  Each of them describes the ways in which the description was helpful to them, gave them a better idea of what was happening on stage, and made the performance more interesting.  As one listener says, “I can’t always recognize voices, so [audio description] is helpful to help me identify people.”  When asked why audio description is important, another listener describes a time when he attended a performance without audio description.  “There was a ballet sequence, and I was so lost that I ended up going to sleep because I didn’t know what was going on.”  With the benefit of audio description, he says, “I can use my imagination” to know what is happening on stage.  “It helps me to follow the program and get more understanding of the program.”
For more information about audio description, visit the Audio Description Coalition’s website at www.audiodescriptioncoalition.org


-By Jennifer Oglesbee

What’s Audio Description?

Audio description allows people who are blind or have low vision to enjoy equal access to cultural events such as live performances, film, or television, providing individuals with descriptive information about visual elements during pauses in dialogue or narration.  Information is transmitted to listeners through a wireless earpiece, allowing people with visual impairments to sit anywhere in the audience during live performances.
Audio description is a means of communicating the most essential information about significant visual elements such as actions, body language, costumes, and settings.  Bill Patterson, owner of Audio Description Solutions and a founding member of the Audio Description Coalition, explains audio description as “being the eyes of the audience.  So much of our world comes to us through visual information.”  The audio describer’s role is to describe what he or she sees without interpretation or explanation.  For instance, rather than describing a character as “angry,” the audio describer would say, “Sarah clenches her fists.”  This allows listeners to draw their own conclusions. 

Audio describers come from a variety of backgrounds and participate in extensive training and coaching.  Qualities that make a good audio describer include strong verbal skills, a pleasant voice, and the ability to process information quickly.  Ermyn King, Manager of the PA Cultural Access Project at VSA arts of Pennsylvania, says, “It’s exhilarating to do audio description.  It requires the integrated application of so many principles, and when you do it well, the difference that it makes is indispensable to the listener.”
For more information about audio description, visit the Audio Description Coalition’s website at www.audiodescriptioncaoliation.org.

-Jennifer Oglesbee