Abstract
This paper outlines my recent dissertation project where adults with disabilities explored an art gallery and created art while talking about their past museum experience. Using disability studies and inclusive art-making as guiding frameworks, artists with developmental disabilities worked together in order to document their museum experiences through a series of workshops. This research explored how those collaborations might create more inclusive and visitor-centered museums in the future while giving marginalized visitors a voice and ability to advocate for their needs. Findings were used to make recommendations for future programming and consisted of several themes developed during the research process. Edu-curators will explore inclusive and visitor-centered programming focused on the themes of understanding, accessibility, interactive, collaboration, communication, and evaluation. This study promotes best practices guarding against cultural appropriation by using disability studies, transformative paradigm, and inclusive art making as guiding frameworks where individuals with disabilities were considered research partners and had the ability to change the course of the research through member checking sessions included with museum research workshops. Using disability studies and inclusive art-making as guiding frameworks, artists with developmental disabilities worked together in order to document their museum experiences through a series of workshops. This research explored how those collaborations might create more inclusive and visitor-centered museums in the future while giving marginalized visitors a voice and ability to advocate for their needs.
Presenters
Anthony WoodruffVisual Art Teacher, Reidland Middle and Intermediate Schools, McCracken County Schools, Kentucky, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2023 Special Focus—Museum Transformations: Pathways to Community Engagement
KEYWORDS
Museum Education, Adults with Developmental Disabilities, Disability Studies, Inclusive Art-Making
