Folks involved in Lawrence’s arts scene during a forum Wednesday shared ways beyond audio description that they can incorporate accessibility into the arts. 

The Arts Accessibility Forum, led by Audio-Reader Network in partnership with area arts organizations, aims to create a more accessible arts environment for people who are blind or visually impaired. 

Wednesday’s meeting drew local volunteers, theater and museum leaders, and members of the disability community, with a few dozen joining both in person at the Lied Center and virtually. 

“The design of the program is to bring people together, primarily,” said Nick Carswell, program manager at Audio-Reader and event presenter. “Then, through these different perspectives, different areas of expertise, and different experiences, we can think about accessibility in different contexts.” 

Audio description explains visual elements that are key to understanding the creator’s intention, according to Audio-Reader’s website. But it’s not the only way to expand access and benefit audiences.

Hanan Misko, education director at the Lied Center and dance instructor with the Lawrence Arts Center, led a movement activity that started by focusing on head and shoulder movements. Then Misko led the audience in creating their own abstract dance movements. 

Misko said dance can be a powerful form of expression and development for students with blindness or visual impairments. Environmental adaptations such as tactile indicators, sound sources and mirrored walls can make dance spaces more accessible.

Nilou Vakil, associate professor of architecture at KU, and Alayna Thomas, KU architecture student, presented on designing accessible educational spaces for children with blindness or visual impairments. Vakil said it’s important to engage all senses in architectural design instead of focusing on ocularcentrism, which prioritizes vision.

Both Vakil and Thomas recommended incorporating textured panels and recesses to walls, different floor types, and wayfinding — a path of light built into the floor — to contribute to more accessible spaces. 

Thomas said three tactile walls will be installed at the Lied Center entrance to guide people with blindness or visual impairments. The walls may have braille integrated, or they may be abstract, serving as a piece of art.

Carswell said the movement exercise and design presentation were intended to take different angles at accessibility.

“We’re trying to offer as many different entry points to this, the challenge of accessibility,” he said.

Attendees also divided into groups to discuss how their respective organizations can improve the arts experience for community members with blindness or visual impairments before presenting their ideas to the rest of the audience. 

Some groups expressed concern about the time and resources it would take to create fully accessible spaces, stressing the importance of advocating for funding and implementing short-term solutions such as volunteers to guide individuals in the meantime. 

Other groups came up with ideas to implement accessibility outside of the arts. For example, organizations could provide audio description services that alert people with blindness or visual impairments when to stand or raise their arms during “the wave” at sporting events. 

Overall, the groups concluded that the community as a whole can benefit from increased accessibility.

Amanda Morris, ticketing services specialist at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, said she believes the Arts Accessibility Forum provides a valuable opportunity for collaboration and hearing ideas from different perspectives. 

“It has been really helpful to see some other solutions that people have come up with in terms of wayfinding and other sort of aspects,” Morris said. “Things like that I wouldn’t have thought of prior to today, especially just because we are, you know, actively always going to be working toward making the experience for our patrons better.”

The forum is funded by a grant from the Kansas Arts Commission. The final meeting is set for Wednesday, June 3. Find more information on the forum’s website at reader.ku.edu/artsforum. 

Hannah Loub (she/her), reporting intern with The Lawrence Times since January 2026, is a journalism and global and international studies major at the University of Kansas. She is currently the lead digital producer for KUJH and worked as a beat reporter for the University Daily Kansan. Read her work for the Times here.

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Molly Adams (she/her), photo editor, has worked with The Lawrence Times since May 2022. She can be reached at molly@lawrencekstimes.com.

Check out more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.

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