$100K Invested in New Arts & Culture Accessibility Hub

Charles Baldwin, Program Officer

Diversity Equity and Inclusion

As part of Mass Cultural Council’s FY26 spending plan, the Agency is investing $100,000 into Open Door Arts’ Arts & Culture Accessibility Hub to assist in the resource’s launch and incorporation into the evolution of our Universal Participation (UP) Initiative.

We see huge potential in the Accessibility Hub to serve as a central place for organizations to benefit from the community-of-practice style learning we had been offering through the UP Initiative. We are proud to serve as a foundational partner to help establish the Accessibility Hub for the benefit of the Massachusetts cultural sector and to the people with disabilities they serve.

The Accessibility Hub is the resource that our sector needs and the disability community deserves. It is a free, digital platform designed for arts and culture organizations to improve accessibility and deepen engagement with the disability community. It was co-created by Open Door Arts and a majority-disabled team of 30+ national cultural access experts, ensuring disability-centered perspectives at every stage.

The Hub, launched last month, builds on Open Door Arts’ 45 years of experience in arts and accessibility and provides a variety of tools and resources to transform organizational practices. Guidance is provided at all stages of the work – for a staff just starting to consider access to the leadership team ready to deepen their commitment.

Key features include:

• Centralized information and vetted resources on over 50 accessibility topics
• A self-assessment tool to evaluate current accessibility and identify areas for growth.
• Planning guides and templates to create an actionable accessibility plan.
• A directory of experts connecting organizations to national leaders in cultural access.
• Training and certification opportunities to build skills and confidence.
• Designed for organizations of any size, budget, or experience level.
• Artwork from 40+ disabled artists, centering their voices and creativity throughout the platform.

Using the data from the Arts & Culture Self-Assessment Tool and assistance from the Disability Advisory Committee, Mass Cultural Council will determine a rubric for measuring future grantees’ and applicants’ success in access.

The Agency’s investment in the Accessibility Hub to develop its accessible learning platforms and steward certified business strategies will be the steps forward to greater understanding, continual improvement, and an accessible cultural sector in the Commonwealth.

Learn more about the Arts & Culture Accessibility Hub at our Spotlight Series webinar where Open Door Arts will provide an overview and take questions. October 8, 2025 at 3pm.

Register Now

Diversity Equity and Inclusion