August 16-19, 2007 In partnership with the Minnesota State Arts Board, VSA arts of Minnesota, and the Guthrie Theater. Minneapolis, MN
Come LEAD With Us!
Join us for the annual event for arts and accessibility professionals working to ensure that people with disabilities and older adults can participate fully in the cultural arts!
This year the Kennedy Center is pleased to partner with the Minnesota State Arts Board, VSA arts of Minnesota, and the Guthrie Theater to bring the 2007 LEAD Conference and Training to Minneapolis, MN. Drawing on national and local resources, the conference will provide an array of opportunities to:
Discuss issues ranging from physical and programmatic access to ticketing policies and marketing strategies;
Share ideas and learn what has been successful at other arts organizations and cultural institutions;
Engage in an open dialogue with representatives from the Disability Rights Section of the Department of Justice;
Learn about best practices and how to develop sound policies; and
Participate in stimulating and enriching discussions with leaders in the field.
With sessions in the brand new Guthrie Theater and special events at the McKnight Foundation and Minneapolis Institute of Arts, you’ll also have a chance to experience the thriving arts community of Minneapolis.
So plan your trip to the Midwest and become a part of this national network of leaders vested in creating and shaping the future of access and accommodations for the inclusion of seniors and people with disabilities in the cultural arts. Contact us to be added to the mailing list and to receive updates about conference events! back to top
Don’t Miss Out!
The LEAD Conference provides professional development opportunities for:
Accessibility Managers and Coordinators
Box Office and House Managers
Outreach and Education Coordinators
Patron and Visitor Services Managers
State and Local Government ADA/504 Coordinators
University and College ADA/Accessibility Coordinators
Marketing and Audience Development Directors
States Arts Commission/Council Accessibility Coordinators
Ensuring that all Minnesotans have the opportunity to participate in the arts.
As an agency dedicated to enriching the cultural lives of all Minnesotans, the Minnesota State Arts Board serves the state by increasing arts awareness, access, and participation. The board plays a key role in maintaining a climate in which the arts are fostered and their contribution to society is recognized and valued. The board offers grants and services to individual artists, arts organizations, schools, and community organizations around the state. It also offers technical assistance, workshops, publications, and other resources. The board is supported by an appropriation from the Minnesota State Legislature, and supplemental funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and private sources. Visit the Arts Board online at: www.arts.state.mn.us.
VSA arts of Minnesota
VSA arts of Minnesota is a statewide organization which makes the arts available and accessible to people with disabilities. It is an affiliate of VSA arts, a national and international organization based in Washington, D.C., which is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. VSA arts of Minnesota was incorporated in 1986 and has been housed in Hennepin Center for the Arts in downtown Minneapolis for the past 17 years. Programming includes providing arts opportunities to students in school and community settings, providing professional development experiences for teachers, residency artists and working artists with disabilities, and providing assistance to state arts organizations in making their facilities and programs accessible to people with all types of disabilities. For more information, please visit www.vsaartsmn.org.
The Guthrie Theater
The Guthrie Theater, founded in 1963, is an American center for theater performance, production, education, and professional training. By presenting both classical literature and new work from diverse cultures, the Guthrie illuminates the common humanity connecting Minnesota to the peoples of the world. For more information, please visit www.guthrietheater.org. back to top
Keynote Speaker
Kevin Kling, Humorist and Playwright
Kevin Kling grew up in Osseo, Minnesota and graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1979 with a B. A. in Theatre. He built his reputation in the Twin Cities during the 1990’s with his groundbreaking plays “21A” and “Fear and Loving in Minneapolis,” toured a one man show of “Home and Away” across the U.S. in the early 1990’s, and took his most recent one man show “Freezing Paradise” on the road across the Midwest and a run this past Fall at the Guthrie Lab. Kevin is also well known for his regular storytelling contributions to NPR’s “All Things Considered,” and has recently released his third CD collection, a boxed set titled “Collected Stories” which includes his 4 CD collections of stories and a DVD.
Currently, Kevin is compiling a book of short stories, and continues to write plays and stories in a rigorous fashion. He has taught and led workshops as a guest resident at numerous schools, colleges, and festivals around the globe, including Gustavus Adolphus, St. Olaf College, and most recently at Virginia Commonwealth University, and was invited to perform at the acclaimed National Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee last October.
Pre-Conference Workshops
Thursday, August 16
Delve into access with an in-depth look at topical issues.
Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Effective Volunteer and Staff Training
Back by popular demand! 10:30 am to 5:00 pm
Effective training is 90% of the battle … make that 100%! Your staff and volunteers are the public face of your institution. With proper training they can be enthusiastic and informed allies in your efforts to create a completely disability and senior-friendly patron/visitor experience. This session will address strategies for maximizing your training efforts, offer practical suggestions, supply sample training manuals and materials, and look at key components of thorough and effective training sessions. Presenters: Celia Hughes, Executive Director VSA arts of Texas (TX); Cindy Brown, ADA and Accessibility Specialist (AZ)
Audio Description Beyond Live Theater Performances: An Introduction to Museums, Exhibits, and Outdoor Spaces, including Video Kiosks
1:00 to 5:00 pm
Although audio description is best known in the context of live theatre performances, it has successfully made a wide variety of cultural experiences accessible to people who are blind or have low vision. This participatory workshop will allow members to learn the techniques and to try describing visual art, historic artifacts, scenic vistas, and film and video segments from exhibit kiosks. Training and experience as an audio describer or knowledge of audio description is highly recommended. Presenters: Bill Patterson, Audio Description Solutions (PA); Janet Zoubek Dickson, McCarter Theatre (NJ)
From Blueprints to Broadway: Building Accessibility Into the Contemporary Arts Center
1:00 to 5:00 pm
Using recent experiences at Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wisconsin as a starting point, this hands-on experience will give you the information that you need to start your organization on the road to becoming more accessible to people with disabilities and older adults. Touching on universal design, physical spaces, community relations, programming, procedures and training, we’ll discuss how to make a contemporary arts center accessible. Find out what works, avoid common pitfalls, and be prepared for the challenges you will face while improving, constructing, or renovating your facility. Presenters: Rae Atira-Soncea, Director of Education, Outreach and Accessibility, Overture Center (WI); Angela L. Bennett, Disability Rights Coordinator, City of Madison (WI); Rudy Lienau, Theater Operations Director, Overture Center (WI); Jacquie Goetz, Director of Patron Services, Overture Center (WI); Glenn Weihert, Facilities Superintendent, Overture Center (WI); Michael Huffman, President, Huffman Facility Development Inc (WI)
Policy Writing: NOT FOR SISSIES!
Learn how to initiate and streamline your accessibility policy development process 1:00 to 5:00 pm
Policies are the backbone of organizational operations. Good policies can help retain employees and customers. Are you unnerved at the thought of sorting through the accessibility mandates to figure out whether or how they apply to your site? Are you confused about what a “good policy” should contain, or how to get it accepted and implemented? Do you have policies that need updating but insufficient resources to get them done?
Be brave. Pack up your dread, uncertainty and (let’s face it) procrastination and trade it in for the competence and confidence you need to turn out elegant, defensible policies that work for your sites.
This workshop is designed to provide support and direction to help you develop or approve organizational policies related to accessibility. It will cover effective ways to:
Develop a policy framework.
Perform a comprehensive organizational assessment.
Apply the assessment data to the policy framework.
Verify the policy content for compliance with mandates and internal standards, before it is deployed.
Identify factors needed for successful policy implementation, including the policy-practice connection and in-house awareness.
Address obstacles like change aversion and orphaned priorities.
Defend the contents of, and need for, the policies you produce.
Make what you learn stick. Bring one of your problem policies to the workshop for a let’s-work-out-the-bugs discussion. Presenter: Susan L. Duncan, RN, Duncan Consulting (WA)
Conference Highlights
Subject to change. Please click here for more details!
Curbside Consultations
Sign up to talk one-on-one with an expert and get answers to your questions! Topics may include:
Audio Description
Architectural Plans for Renovation and New Construction
Assistive Listening Devices
Grantwriting
Legal and Compliance Issues
Open Captioning
Legal Issues – Current Trends
Participate in a frank and open discussion of legal and compliance issues for cultural organizations with representatives from the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice and ADA Information and Technology Center. Discuss key issues and the legal effects on your organization.
Access for Under $100
Everyone always says access is too expensive. Explore the world of accessibility for under $100 and walk away with a list of easy and inexpensive "fixes."
Meet with Knowbility experts for an individualized consultation and get useful recommendations for making accessibility improvements to your organization’s website. (Space is limited. Must request consultation on registration form.)
Challenging Patrons: Identifying Boundaries
Participate in an interactive discussion led by the legal team working with the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. Walk through a variety of hypothetical situations and analyze how arts institutions should approach the dilemmas raised by challenging patrons.
Planning and Prioritizing: 12 Steps to Equal Access
It only takes 12 Steps to plan for a successful access program but what are those steps and how do you use them effectively to set policy, to set priorities, and to ensure equal access? Come to this session and find out!
Success! Finding Your Market and Developing Your Potential
America’s 54 million people with disabilities are waiting to be reached by organizations like yours. With an aggregate income that exceeds $1 trillion, and disposable income that tops $220 billion, this market spends heavily with organizations that address their needs and provide exceptional customer service. To reach this untapped segment, you need insight, expertise, and a thorough understanding of consumers with disabilities. No one wants to turn away 54 million potential visitors and patrons. It is time to bring them in the door.
Leadership in Dialogue – Taking the Conversation to a New Level
Sunday, August 19 from 10:00am to 1:00pm At the Courtyard Downtown at the Depot Hotel
You are invited to participate in an open forum to discuss the issues facing leaders in the area of cultural arts and accessibility. By bringing together the talents and energies of the accomplished professionals who attend the LEAD conference, we can build upon the legacy of ideas that have fostered significant projects and continue to advance the field. Take advantage of this opportunity to share your successes and garner new ideas from other cultural arts access experts in a personal and substantive way.
Please note: This session is only available to individuals who are attending the full conference and is intended for cultural arts access professionals with several years of experience. Space is limited. Please sign up when you register.)
Special Events
Subject to change.
Opening Reception - Free!
Thursday, August 16 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm
Celebrate the start of the 2007 LEAD Conference overlooking the Mississippi River on the terrace of the McKnight Foundation, one of the leading arts funders in the country. Reconnect with colleagues and make new contacts!
1776
Thursday, August 16 at 7:30 pm Guthrie Theater’s Wurtele Thrust Stage
Tickets are only $17!
Directed by John Miller-Stephany, this Tony Award-winning "Best Musical" is an unabashed salute to American patriotism. In a rollicking and witty musical score John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Ben Franklin lead a cast of characters through the creation of the courageous document which defined the American Revolution, culminating in a powerful conclusion as the delegates are called forward to sign the Declaration of Independence. Music & lyrics by Sherman Edwards; Book by Peter Stone; Based on a concept by Sherman Edwards.
This performance will be sign-interpreted, captioned, and audio described.
Always one of the best conference events, the Awards Dinner is not to be missed! Join us for an elegant evening to present the 2007 Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability Awards for Excellence in Accessibility Leadership in recognition of the achievements and contributions of an individual and an organization to the field of cultural arts access. While you’re there, take some time to explore the galleries and see items from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts Modernist Design, Modernist Paperworks, Expressionism and Modern & Contemporary collection! Click here for more information about the LEAD Awards.
Accessible transportation will be provided between the conference hotel and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. back to top
Registration Rates
Click here to download the registration form.
Full Conference
$140 per person for
Board or staff members of arts organizations, arts services agencies, cultural organizations, or cultural services agencies;
University and College staff members;
State and Local Government employees
TEAM DISCOUNT - If your organization sends more than one person, the full conference fee drops to $120 per person!
$240 per person for staff members of non-profit disability service organizations
$440 per person for employees of consulting, architecture, and law firms and other organizations
One-Day Conference Pass
Access to conference sessions for one day Available only to board or staff members of arts organizations, arts services agencies, cultural organizations, or cultural services agencies, University and College staff, and State and Local Government employees
$65 for Friday, August 17
$65 for Saturday, August 18
Pre-Conference Workshops
Sessions run concurrently.
Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Effective Training—10:30 am to 5:00 pm..$100 per person
Audio Description Beyond Live Theater Performances—1:00 to 5:00 pm.. $75 per person
From Blueprints to Broadway: Building Accessibility—1:00 to 5:00 pm….. $75 per person
Policy Writing: NOT FOR SISSIES!—1:00 to 5:00 pm………………………..$75 per person
Conference rates have been arranged at two hotels within walking distance of the Guthrie Theater. To receive these rates, you must make reservations by July 16, 2007. Be sure to ask for the Kennedy Center Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) Conference rate. A limited number of rooms are being held, so call immediately!
Rate: $119 per night for 1 King or a Double Room (does not include tax)
.6 miles from the Guthrie Theater
Note Regarding Online Reservations: If you would like to check in earlier than August 15 or depart after August 19, you will need to make separate reservations for those dates online (do not include the Group Booking Code) or call to make your reservation.
The Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is approximately 16 miles from downtown Minneapolis. Please check with your carrier to find out whether you will land at Lindbergh Terminal or the Humphrey Terminal as they approximately 2 miles apart and have separate baggage claims and parking facilities. Go to www.mspairport.com/msp and www.mspairport.com/msp/accessibility/default.aspx for more information.
Getting into Town
Taxi
Fares from the airport to the downtown area average $28.00 to $36.00.
Super Shuttle
Service from the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport to downtown hotels is approximately $15. Customers requiring the use of accessible transportation are encouraged, but not required, to make reservations at least 24 hours in advance. For more information, please visit www.supershuttle.com.
Public Transportation
Light rail fares are $2.00 during rush hours (Monday through Friday, 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6:30 p.m.) and $1.50 at other times. Tickets are sold at vending kiosks at the rail station. Specific directions to the Guthrie Theater and conference hotel are listed below. For more information, visit the Metro Transit Web site: http://www.metrotransit.org/rail.
Accessible Transportation
To arrange for accessible transportation while visiting the Minneapolis area, have your ADA certifying agency fax your certification information along with the address where you will be staying and dates you plan on being in Minneapolis to 651-602-1660 four weeks prior to your arrival date. Riders must be ADA certified in the state in which they live. For questions regarding certification, call Jim Nieman; 651-602-1665. If you are not ADA certified, call Airport Taxi; 612-331-8294 (special assistance provided if requested).
The Guthrie is located in downtown Minneapolis on the west bank of the Mississippi River at 818 South 2nd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415.
By Metro Transit
The Guthrie Theater is 1 block north of the Route 7 or Route 19 bus stop on the corner of Washington Avenue at Chicago Avenue.
For light rail, use the Downtown East/Metrodome Station stop. Walk 3 blocks north on Chicago Avenue S to the Guthrie Theater.
For more information about planning your trip, visit the MetroTransit website at http://www.metrotransit.org/. Make sure you select the option for the new Guthrie Theater!
By Car
From the North: I-35W
Heading south on 35W, take the WASHINGTON AVE exit (17C). Turn RIGHT onto WASHINGTON AVE. Turn RIGHT onto 11TH AVE S. Turn LEFT onto S 2ND ST and go 2 blocks. The Guthrie will be on your right.
From the West: I-394
Heading east on 394, take the 3RD AVE N/WASHINGTON AVE exit (9C). Take the WASHINGTON AVE ramp. Turn RIGHT onto WASHINGTON AVE N. Turn LEFT onto CHICAGO AVE S. Turn RIGHT onto S 2ND ST. The Guthrie will be on your left.
From the South: I-35W
Heading north on 35W, take the 3RD ST/WASHINGTON AVE exit (17C). Turn LEFT onto WASHINGTON AVE S. Turn RIGHT onto 11TH AVE S. Turn LEFT onto S 2ND ST and go 2 blocks. The Guthrie will be on your right.
From the East: I-94
Heading west on 94, take the 5TH ST exit. Turn right onto 11TH AVE S. Turn LEFT onto S 2ND ST and go 2 blocks. The Guthrie will be on your right.
Parking Information
Parking is available in the garage across South 2nd Street from the Guthrie for $8 per day. Parking is also available in many lots throughout the neighborhood.
Directions to the Courtyard Downtown at The Depot
The hotel is located at 225 South 3rd Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55401 and is approximately 5 ½ blocks from the Guthrie Theater.
By Metro Transit
The Government Plaza Station on 5th Street and 3rd Avenue is the closest light rail stop to the Courtyard Downtown at the Depot Hotel. From the station, walk 3½ blocks north (toward the Mississippi River) crossing 4th Street, 3rd Street, and Washington Avenue. The hotel is at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Washington Avenue. For more information, please visit www.metrotransit.org.
By Car
From the South: Take 35W North to downtown exits on left. Take 5th Avenue exit. Go straight on 5th Avenue nine blocks to Washington Avenue.
From the North: Take 35W South to Washington Avenue exit. Turn right on Washington Avenue, go eight blocks to 5th Avenue.
From the West: Take 94 East to the 4th Street exit. Follow 4th street to 5th Avenue South and turn left. Follow to Washington.
From the East: Take 94 West to the 5th Street exit. At the bottom of the exit, veer to the left and proceed around the Metrodome. Take a right onto 5th Avenue and proceed to Washington Avenue.
Parking
Parking is available in the surface lot and underground garage off 5th Avenue for $14 per day. back to top
Directions to the Holiday Inn Minneapolis Metrodome
The Holiday Inn Minneapolis Metrodome is located at 1500 Washington Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55454, and is approximately .6 miles from the Guthrie Theater.
By Metro Transit
The Downtown East/Metrodome station is approximately 0.8 miles from the Holiday Inn Metrodome. Please visit www.metrotransit.org for information about bus routes, schedules, and fares.
By Car
From Minneapolis / St. Paul International Airport: Exit airport in left lane on Highway 5. Merge right and follow signs toward Minneapolis. Exit on Minneapolis Highway 55 (Hiawatha). Continue on Highway 55 in the right lane. Exit at Third Street / University of Minnesota West Bank to Washington Avenue. Turn right on to Washington Avenue, then make a left turn at the next stoplight. Make an immediate left turn to hotel entrance.
35W Heading North: Take the Third Street / University of Minnesota exit (Exit 17C). Follow the West Bank lane to Washington Avenue. At the stoplight, turn right onto Washington. At the next stoplight, turn left. The parking ramp is on the left.
35W Heading South: Take the Washington Avenue Exit to the first set of stoplights. Turn left (crossover 35W). At the second stoplight, turn left. The parking ramp is on the left.
I-94 Heading West (toward Downtown Minneapolis): From I-94, exit on to Cedar Avenue. Turn right. The hotel is six blocks directly ahead.
I-94 Heading East (toward St. Paul): From I-94, exit on to 35W North. Take the Third Street / University of Minnesota exit (Exit 17C). Follow the West Bank lane to Washington Avenue. At the stoplight, turn right onto Washington. At the next stoplight, turn left. The parking ramp is on the left.
From Downtown Minneapolis: Take Washington Avenue East (crossover 35W). At the stoplight, turn left. The parking ramp is on the left.
From St. Paul: Take 94 West to the Cedar Avenue exit. At the first stop light, turn right on to Cedar and follow for about six blocks. The Holiday Inn Metrodome is straight ahead.
Parking
Parking is available in the ramp next door to the hotel. This ramp is owned by the City of Minneapolis and not that of Holiday Inn Minneapolis Metrodome. You may stop in the driveway at the hotel while checking in and make further arrangements for parking. You may obtain a parking pass from the Front Desk at a current cost of $10.50 per 24 hours from time of entry. This amount may be billed to your room and does allow for in-out privileges.
It is my pleasure to announce the sixth annual Leadership Exchange in Arts
and Disability (LEAD) Conference and Training for ADA/504 Coordinators and
Accessibility Managers in the cultural arts.
This is not your ordinary run-of-the-mill conference and training. Participants
engage in stimulating and enriching dialogues on issues ranging from physical
and programmatic access to ticketing policies and marketing strategies. There
will be ample opportunities to explore the newest technologies, learn about
universal design, and hear from the experts on legal issues that impact cultural
institutions.
And the benefits don't end once participants go home. Members of the
LEAD network participate in an ongoing exchange of information, resources,
best practices, and innovations throughout the year.
Become a part of this national network of leaders who are vested in creating
and shaping the future of access and accommodations for the inclusion of
seniors and people with disabilities in theaters, museums, parks, gardens,
zoos, concert halls, arenas, arts and performing arts centers.
Sincerely,
Betty Siegel
Director of Accessibility
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
back to top
Don't Miss Out!
Join us for theannual
event for arts and cultural accessibility professionals.
Engage in an open dialogue with representatives from the Disability Rights
Section of the Department of Justice
Share your ideas and learn what has been successful in other arts organizations
and cultural institutions
Learn about best practices and how to develop sound policies
Participate in dynamic discussions with leaders in the field
This is
a 'must attend' event for anyone interested in increasing
accessibility in their organization and ensuring that people with disabilities
and older adults can participate fully in the cultural arts. The LEAD
Conference provides important professional development opportunities for:
Accessibility Managers and Coordinators
Box Office and House Managers
Outreach and Education Coordinators
Patron and Visitor Services Managers
State and Local Government ADA/504 Coordinators
University and College ADA/Accessibility Coordinators
Marketing and Audience Development Directors
States Arts Commission/Council Accessibility Coordinators
Early Bird Registration
Fees - Good through July 7, 2006
Send in your registration form by Friday, July 7 to receive the discounted
Early Bird registration rate.
Team Registration
We encourage teams to attend! Bring one or two colleagues (staff, board,
or volunteers) and get $25 off the registration fee for each member of your
team.
One-Day Rate
Can't attend the entire conference?Board or Staff members of
arts organizations or arts service agencies, cultural organizations or cultural
service agencies can join us for one full day of sessions for just $65 back to top
Pre-Conference Workshops
Thursday, August 3 from 1:00 to 5:00 PM
The Complete Experience: Sensory Seminars, Touch Tours, and Program Notes
Create a complete theater experience for patrons with blindness or vision loss. Participants will become informed on the wide range of ancillary services and learn which ones are most suitable to their venue, productions, and patron needs. This session will focus on how to enhance the basic Audio-Description experience by supplementing it with Sensory Seminar, Touch Tours, Program Notes, Braille and Large Print materials, and other experiences and methods. Presenters: Michael T. Mooney, Director of Outreach and Education, Paper Mill Playhouse (NJ); Janet Zoubek Dickson, Access Coordinator, McCarter Theatre (NJ)
Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Effective Volunteer and Staff Training
Effective training is 90% of the battle…make that 100%! Your staff and volunteers are the public face of your institution. With proper training they can be enthusiastic and informed allies in your efforts to create a completely disability and senior-friendly patron/visitor experience. This session will address strategies for maximizing your training efforts, offer practical suggestions, supply sample training manuals and materials, and look at key components of thorough and effective training sessions.
Presenters: Celia Hughes, Executive Director, VSA arts of Texas (TX); Cindy Brown, ADA and Accessibility Specialist, City of Tempe (AZ)
Back by popular demand! Weaving an Accessible Welcome Mat for Guests and Customers with Disabilities
Discover the power to increase attendance, revenue, and participation through disability messaging and terminology, audience development, strategic alliances with the disability community, effective press releases, strategic marketing, public relations, and building the business case.
Presenter: Tari Susan Hartman-Squire, EIN SOF Communications (CA)
Back by popular demand! Ticketing Policies, Procedures, and Practices: Box Office Assets
Explore tried and true methods to develop and apply policies, procedures, and practices that are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Make your audience’s experience a positive one and let your staff work in an informed and customer-friendly way.
Presenter: Betty Siegel, Director of Accessibility, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (DC)back to top
Conference Sessions
subject to change.
Session topics include but are not limited to:
Legal Issues – Current Trends
Participate in a frank and open discussion of legal and compliance issues for cultural organizations with representatives from the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice and ADA Information and Technology Center. Discuss key issues and the legal effects on your organization. Presenters: Renee Wohlenhaus, Deputy Chief, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice (DC); Marian Vessels, Executive Director, Mid-Atlantic DBTAC (MD)
New, Newer, and Newest Technologies
Cell phones forbidden in Museums? Never thought you'd want people glued to their PDA's? You may want to rethink those assumptions. Explore the most recent technological innovations in creating accessible exhibits with the use of touchable interactive materials, audio tours by wireless phone, PDAs for captioning, and more. Presenters: Michael Giniger, Chief Technical Officer, Spatial Adventures (VA); Steve Landau, Research, Director, Touch Graphics (NY); Bryan Hollar, Director of Systems Integration, Figaro Systems (NM), Sarah Dines, Business Development Director, Antenna Audio (CA); Mark Annunziato, Vice President of Operations, Sound Associates (NY)
The 10 Step Program
Have you been wondering how to do an ADA plan? How to implement a plan once it is in place? Wonder no more! Come and hear about how ten steps can change your life and insure that your facilities and programs will be accessible. We will outline and discuss each step and where resources can be found to implement every one of them. If possible we will find examples of best practices using these steps. Presenter: Deborah Lewis, Executive Director, ELA Foundation (CA) Hiring and Contracting Sign Language Interpreters
Providing sign language interpreters for performances, lectures, and other events starts with finding qualified interpreters and continues through the completion of the program or performance. You need to know who to hire, what kind of fees are appropriate, whether or not to use a contract or letter of agreement, what you can expect from the sign language interpreter, and what they should be able to expect from you. This session will step you through the business side of providing sign language interpreters.
Presenters: Janet Bailey Sign Language Associates (MD); Kevin Dyels, Sign Language Associates (MD)
Get REAL: Respect, Equality, and Access beyond the Law
Delve into the history and evolution of the disability movement including Independent Living, consumer groups, and civil rights vs. entitlement - the spirit of the ADA and other laws. This session will provide a social and cultural context for functional design, exploring considerations along the continuum from universal design to disability specific accommodation. Presenter: Larry Lorenzo, Artist and Advocate (AZ)
How to Succeed in Grant Writing
Learn what these foundations expect from applicants and get tips on how to prepare materials to assure that your proposal will be considered. Presenters: John Killacky, Program Officer for Arts and Culture, San Francisco Foundation (CA); Deborah Lewis Executive Director, ELA Foundation (CA); Additional Panelists to be announced.
Historic Buildings and Compliance
Find out how the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to historic buildings. Presenter: Mark Mazz, AIA, US Department of Justice
Welcoming People with Alzheimer’s to Your Museum
Both the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston give tours designed for people with Alzheimer’s. The tours and approaches of the two museums are different but the results are the same. Compare the two programs and take away practical information on how to set up similar programs at your museum. Presenters: Francesca Rosenburg, Director of Community and Access Programs, MOMA (NY); Hannah Goodwin, Coordinator of Accessibility, MFA, Boston (MA)
Common Barriers to Access
Sometimes it is the small things that are the biggest barriers to access. This session looks at the most common barriers to physical and communication access with practical tips on how to remove them with little expense. Presenter: Cindy Brown, ADA and Accessibility Specialist, City of Tempe (AZ)
Exhibit Tour: “Whatever Happened to Polio?”
This exhibition incorporates the principles of Universal Design to tell the story of the polio epidemic in the United States, the vaccine development, current world efforts to stop polio transmission, and the story of survivors and the influences they have had on American society. It includes tactile-audio maps of the gallery space, spotlight sound with audio description, two touchable sculptures of the poliovirus in action, and other design details for independence and usability. At the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History. Accessible transportation provided.
Working with Aging Volunteers: Facing Challenging Situations with Practical Solutions
Many cultural organizations depend upon a dedicated corps of volunteers and are grateful for the incredible contributions they make. The challenge comes as our volunteer population ages. This session will address ways to keep aging volunteers engaged and productive and how, when necessary, to let someone go. Learn about drafting appropriate job descriptions, policies, and procedures. Presenter: Ruth J. Townsend, Associate Director &ADA Coordinator, Office of Equity and Diversity Services, George Mason University (VA)
Service Animals: What You Can and Cannot Do
You are required to allow patrons and visitors to bring their service animals into your facility but are there limits on what constitutes a "service animal"? How do you handle the situation if the animal presents challenging behaviors? Join presenters who use service animals to find out the answers to these questions and work through procedures that will make everyone comfortable. Presenters: Susan Duncan, Duncan Consulting (WA); Hollis Frisch, Advocate (VA)
Captioning for Theater: From the Sponsorship Point of View
Theatre Development Fund has sponsored open captioned performances for 68 different venues over the past nine years, primarily on Broadway but also Off Broadway, in regional theater and London. All the feedback from consumers, producers, production crews, cast members, and theater staff clearly indicates that captioning is a service whose time has come. This session covers the basics on captioning for theater, such as equipment options, the effect of captioning on ticket sales, its potential to expand audiences, the successes and challenges involved with implementing the service, and where to look for funding. Presenter: Lisa Carling, Director of Theatre Access Project, Theatre Development Fund (NY)
Festival Access on a Shoestring
This session will provide a detailed account of access management in the framework of a multi-production, multi-company, multi-venue festival. Small groups will solve real-life festival accessibility challenges and share their results with the entire workshop in a group discussion. Presenter: Selene Faer, BrightLine Group (VA) back to top
Presenters
Cindy Brown splits her time between the arts and disability worlds. She’s worked professionally in the arts since age 14, with her first job in a theatre orchestra, and continues to work in both the theater and film/video world, as a writer, actor, director, and producer/manager of Friendly People Pictures.
A member of the disability community since 1996, Ms. Brown began working in the field of access as the first state-wide coordinator of ARTability, a national-award-winning organization whose mission is to provide access to the arts to people with disabilities. From there she went on to serve as the Training and Project Development Coordinator of the Arizona Office for Americans with Disabilities, where she provided training and technical assistance on ADA-related issues, including architectural accessibility, employment issues, and emergency planning, while also answering the Pacific Disability Business Technical Assistance Center Hotline. Ms. Brown is a sought after speaker and trainer, having presented at numerous national and regional conferences, including the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies Conference, the National Spinal Cord Injury Conference, and the National INTIX Conference, and has been involved with the Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability Conference since its inception. She now works for the city of Tempe, where she reviews facility plans, ensures access to city programs, and advocates for exemplary access to the entire city. She was awarded the 2004 Mayor’s Award by the City of Phoenix Mayor’s Commission on Disability Issues.
Lisa Carling has been the Director of TDF’s Theatre Access Project since 1984. She has dramatically increased the size of TAP’s mailing list, ticket sales, program services and served as a consultant to regional theatres wishing to establish similar programs. Under her leadership, the TAP department has won five different awards: a “Community Service Award” from the Metro Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf in 2005; a “Certificate of Recognition from the Office of the Mayor” in 2003 for services and opportunities offered to people with physical disabilities; the “Edward Nitchie Award in Human Communications” in 1998 from New York’s League for the Hard of Hearing for captioning on Broadway; the “Diversity in Action Award” in 1996 from Fleet Bank for community service to people with disabilities; and the “Mayor’s Very Special Arts Award” in 1992 from the Mayor of the City of New York for leadership in access.
Janet Zoubek Dickson was in the very first group of audio describers ever trained by Margaret and Cody Pfanstiehl, in 1981, in Washington, D.C. Having realized that there could only be one Katherine Hepburn, Janet, a graduate of Catholic University’s Drama Department with a BFA in Acting, and an MS in Theatre Management from the University of Maryland, decided to work in theatre “behind the scenes.”
Thus began her “career” as an audio describer. While in Washington, D.C., she described at the Kennedy Center, National Theatre, Olney Theatre, and Arena Stage. She has enjoyed a very close relationship with the Pfanstiehls; at one time she was the Development Director for Margaret’s Metropolitan Washington Ear.
In 1995, the Dickson family returned to their Springsteen roots in New Jersey. She began describing at McCarter Theatre in Princeton. She later became Access Coordinator, joined the Associates Board of Directors at the theatre, and is now serving a two-year term as its president, and is a member of the Board of Trustees. Through her association with McCarter, she met Paper Mill’s Michael Mooney with whom she trains new describers. She also describes at Paper Mill Playhouse.
Theatre is Janet’s first love, but it doesn’t put two children through college. In her off-hours, she is an assistant librarian at Princeton Day School in Princeton.
Hannah Goodwin has been trying to push a large rock up a hill since she was about 14 years old. For the past 5 + years, she has continued this effort at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where she is the Manager of Accessibility. Previous to her work at the Museum, Hannah spent 10 years as an Art Educator in Special Education and inclusion programs, with experience before that working with all ages and abilities teaching art. She has been included on panels or presented at several conferences and written a few articles regarding accessibility in museums for people with disabilities. Hannah has headed non-profit volunteer organizations and is also a professional artist. She is also the mother of a 5 year-old, which helps her keep a good perspective on the world.
Tari Susan Hartman-Squire's EIN SOF Communications: A strategic marketing/PR firm specializing in disability, diversity and public policy. Clients include Bank of America; Cingular Wireless; US Holocaust Memorial Museum; Microsoft; AOL; Macy's West; Universal Studios Home Entertainment (DVS® Enhanced DVD of RAY for blind audiences); Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation; Disability Funders Network; Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities; PBS' FREEDOM MACHINES; PAX-TV; Nickelodeon; John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ LEAD conference; Mattel/Toys “R” Us Becky® (Barbie® wheelchair-user friend) launch. Hartman-Squire is spearheading the Business Advisory Committee of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association and serves on the Diversity Committee of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and on the Executive Board of the Multicultural Committee of the Public Relations Society of America.
Hartman-Squire spearheaded creation of the Screen Actors Guild Committee of Performers with Disabilities and was founding executive director of the Media Access Office (a liaison between the entertainment industry and the disability community to increase employment in front of and behind the camera and to improve portrayals of people with disabilities in television, film and commercials). EIN SOF and Nielsen NRGi are creating "Disability Community Market Research Initiatives" to help build the business case for marketing with and employment of people with disabilities. Her 1989 MY LEFT FOOT promotion launched disability-marketing campaigns. She assists AP STYLEBOOK with disability semantics, and co-authored (with Mary Johnson) the book MAKING NEWS: How to Get Coverage for Disability Rights Issues. She is fluent in American Sign Language.
Deborah Lewis has been the Executive Director of the ELA Foundation since 1997. Under her leadership the ELA Foundation established a grant program for organizations that serve adults with disabilities as well as a scholarship program for women with physical disabilities in graduate school. She brought audio description to Los Angeles through partnership and training at the Los Angeles Radio Reading Service and the Center Theatre Group as well as leading ADA consultancies with the Arizona Theatre Company, ARTability, Arts Inc, Pasadena Playhouse, Amaryllis Theatre Company, Aquarium of the Pacific, Santa Barbara Zoo and Santa Barbara Museum of Art. In addition the ELA Foundation presented artists including David Roche, Light Motion and Candoco in performances in southern California. She has participated in the LEAD Conference since its inception as a facilitator, speaker and moderator.
She joined the ELA Foundation after 17 years at Special Audiences in Atlanta, Georgia, bringing the arts to people with disabilities as well as doing Audio Description and ADA trainings for arts organizations throughout the south.
She has a degree in theatre from Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio.
Michael Mooney has devoted his life to the performing arts, having been involved as performer, writer, director, and now administrator. Coming to Paper Mill in 1994 from The Growing Stage Theatre in Netcong, NJ, he served in the fundraising department under Development Director John McEwen. Under Mr. McEwen’s guidance, he became involved in the theatre’s accessibility programming, eventually assuming full responsibility for the theatre’s nationally recognized Access programs and services. In 2001, he was appointed Manager of Outreach and Access Programs, a position he designed himself in order to forge a greater liaison between the disabled and under-served communities and Paper Mill. Now beginning his 12th season with the organization, Mr. Mooney has been integral in the success of community drives for the Victims of 9-11, The Make-A-Wish Foundation, First Book, Tsunami Relief, The American Red Cross, and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. In addition to his Access responsibilities, he also directs Paper Mill’s Senior Players Workshop, oversees the award-winning Adopt-A-School Project and has been both instructor and adjudicator for their S.T.A.R. program. Outside Paper Mill, he serves on the board of directors for The Fund for the New Jersey Blind, a founding member of L.E.A.D., Audio Description International, The New Jersey Arts Access Task Force, The Access Committee of The New Jersey Theatre Alliance. For the past five years, he has studied directing and writing for theatre-in-the-round with England’s Sir Alan Ayckbourn and has staged more than 55 productions of plays and musicals in Northern New Jersey, including the American premieres of three of Sir Ayckbourn’s plays. Michael is the proud recipient of the 2003 Ann Klein Advocate Award for his work with senior citizens and people with disabilities. He is a native of New Jersey, having also lived in Florida and England.
Betty Siegel has specialized in the arts and disability issues for twenty years. From 1983 until 1992 she coordinated services and programs for people with disabilities at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. In Austin, TX from 1992 until 1999, she co-founded and was the managing director for Access Arts Austin which started the first audio description program in the area, and focused on a city-wide effort with the cultural arts community to be more accessible to people with disabilities; expanded the Austin Circle of Theaters’ half-price ticket service by turning it into a full-service collaborative box office; served on the Texas Commission for the Arts Access Advisory Board; certified as a sign language interpreter; and trained as an arts mediator.
In 1999, Ms. Siegel become Manager of Accessibility at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. In 2005 she was promoted to Director of Accessibility and oversees accessibility for all of the Center’s programs and events, renovations and additions, as well as ensuring compliance with Federal law. She also manages national programs such as: the Careers in the Arts Initiative, the “Opening Stages” newsletter for people with disabilities pursuing careers in the arts, and the Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) conference and network for ADA/504 Coordinators and Accessibility Managers in the Cultural Arts. Ms. Siegel was the project manager, writer and producer of “Design For Accessiblity: A Cultural Administrator’s Handbook” for the National Endowment for the Arts.
Ruth Townsend is currently the Associate Director and ADA Coordinator in the Office of Equity and Diversity Services at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She has worked in the field of civil rights advocacy and compliance in higher education and state government for over twelve years, concentrating on access and inclusion for persons with disabilities for the last nine years on 3 university campuses. She built, and is building, collaborative relationships on each of those campuses to promote full inclusion of persons with disabilities in employment and programs, has developed policies and procedures to advance that goal, and provided workshops for her campuses, non-profit organizations and national professional organizations as well as day-to-day technical assistance to achieve access and legal compliance. Raised in Pennsylvania, she graduated from Colorado State University and the University of Minnesota and has worked her way back east to George Mason University by way of positions at the University of Minnesota, Minnesota State Government, the University of Wisconsin-Extension, and Illinois State University.
Opening Reception – Free! Thursday, August 3 at 7:00 PM
Celebrate the start of the sixth annual LEAD Conference and Training. Reconnect with colleagues and make new contacts.
Millennium Stage Performances – Free! Thursday, August 3 at 6:00 PM and Saturday, August 5 at 6:00 PM
See open-captioned, audio-described, and sign-interpreted performances by artists with disabilities on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage.
Individualized Website Accessibility Consultation – Free!
Meet with Knowbility experts for an individualized consultation and get useful recommendations for making accessibility improvements to you organization’s website. (Must request on registration form. Limited availability.)
Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability Awards Dinner – $30 Saturday, August 5 at 7:00 PM
This year the Kennedy Center and Christopher Reeve Foundation Leadership Awards for Excellence in Arts Access will be presented to Paula Terry for her individual commitment and dynamic leadership in urging the National Arts community to be accessible to people with disabilities and Theatre Development Fund’s Theatre Access Project (TDF’s TAP) for sustained efforts in working with both the for-profit and non-profit theater community to build the inclusion of people with disabilities as theater audiences. Join us for an elegant evening to recognize their achievements and contributions to the field of cultural arts accessibility.
Smithsonian Jazz Café - $24 Friday, August 4 from 6 to 10 p.m.
Have dinner and enjoy some of Washington DC’s best live jazz at the National Museum of Natural History. Ticket price includes dinner, dessert, and one drink. More information at http://www.mnh.si.edu/jazz/.
Resource Room
– Free admission! Thursday, August 3 from 4:00 - 9:00PM
Experience the latest in accessible technologies and discover the resources available to help make your organization more accessible to people with disabilities and older adults. If you are interested in exhibiting, please contact us at 202-416-8727 (voice), 202-416-8728 (TTY), or access@kennedy-center.org.
Resource Sharing
Bring resources to share, including information and handouts about your accessibility efforts, programs, facilities, calendars of events, manuals and handbooks, training materials, brochures, articles, and marketing/pr materials. back to top
Airports and Public Transportation
Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) (www.mwaa.com/national/index.htm) is the closest and most convenient airport to the Kennedy Center. Taxi fare is approximately $12. The airport is also on the Metro system. One-way fare ranges from $1.35-1.65.
Dulles Airport (IAD) (www.mwaa.com/dulles) in Virginia is a 30- to 60-minute drive from the Kennedy Center. Taxi fare is approximately $45. The Washington Flyer shuttle bus goes from Dulles to select stops in Washington DC for $16.00 one-way and $26.00 round trip. For more information, please visit www.washflyer.com.
Baltimore-Washington Airport (BWI) (www.bwiairport.com/frames/1_washington.html) is a 45-to-75-minute drive from the Kennedy Center: Taxi fare is approximately $60.00. The Marc Train shuttle and train will connect you to the Metro system. For more information, please visit www.mtamaryland.com.
Foggy Bottom on the blue and orange lines is the closest Metro stop to the Kennedy Center. For information about the Metro system (bus and subway), please visit www.wmata.com.
Conference rates have been arranged at three hotels; two are within walking distance of the Kennedy Center and the third is only two Metro stops away. To receive these rates, reservations must be made by July 7, 2006. Be sure to ask for the Kennedy Center LEAD Conference rate. A limited number of rooms are being held so call immediately!
Hilton Garden Inn
1333 North Courthouse Road, Arlington, VA 22201
877-782-9444 http://hiltongardeninn.hilton.com/en/gi/groups/personalized/dcaargi_jfk/index.jhtml
Rate: $99/night
Wheelchair accessible entrance is in the front.
Take the Metro to the Kennedy Center: Walk 1½ blocks to Courthouse station. Take the Orange line towards New Carrollton to Foggy Bottom and take the Show Shuttle or walk about 7 minutes to the Kennedy Center.
The George Washington University Inn
824 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
800-426-4455 www.gwuinn.com
Rate: $129/night
Wheelchair accessible entrance is in the back of the hotel on 25th Street.
5-minute walk to the Kennedy Center
One Washington Circle Hotel
1 Washington Circle, NW, Washington, DC
800-424-9671 www.thecirclehotel.com
Rate: $129/night
Wheelchair accessible entrance is in the front.
10-minute walk to the Kennedy Center
“No other conference or organization has the resources and the name-recognition that the Kennedy Center has. And because of that, those involved with accessibility – from programs to communication, to
the physical design of our arts and cultural facilities – can come together to learn.”
–Mollie Lakin-Hayes, Southern Arts Federation
Contact Us
For additional information, please contact the Kennedy Center Accessibility Office at 202/416-8727 (voice); 202/416-8728 (TTY); 202/416-8802 (fax); or via email at access@kennedy-center.org.
The Kennedy Center’s Accessibility Programs are supported in part by:
Mike and Julie Connors
Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund
National Endowment for the Arts
The Kennedy Center Corporate Fund
U.S. Department of Education
Kevin Kling, Humorist and Playwright