On Fri, 17 Jun 1994 09:06:34 -0400,
Julia Hunter  <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 
>Can any of you share approaches that you have used, or pertinent
>bibliography, for providing hands-on activities, general touring, or any
>other ways to make your museums accessible for visually impaired people?
>All assistance will be appreciated as we are working to improve this
>aspect of our museum's service to its public.
 
JULIA & ELIZABETH,  In 1985 FORECAST Public Art Spaces, MSB (formerly
Minneapolis Society for the Blind), and Minnesota Museum of American Art
(in Saint Paul) partnered on _ART_of_the_EYE_.  Artist Scott Nelson (who
has visual impairments) and Jack Becker (who is still at FORECAST)
co-curated the show.  The Museum published a full-color catalog and the
show toured for six or seven years.
Not so much the show itself (fabulous work by blind and visually impaired
artists) but the attendant programming at the 30 or so sites that booked
the show may be of interest. It often brought together the health and
social service organizations dealing with sight and the local art museum
and artists to organize and conduct programs for their communities.
At some venues, several longer, more permanent, efforts grew out of these
original collaborations. You can contact Jack at FORECAST in Saint Paul
(I don't think they're on-line) at 612.641.1128; Scott is showing in NYC
quite a bit, he may have moved there (I'm not sure).
One historical note: _ART_of_the_EYE_ and another show that year _WARM:A
Landmark_Exhibition_ (where MMAA teamed with the Women's Art Collective of
Minnesota and some early women's issues entities) were the antecedent
projects for what in 1987 formally became MMAA's Partnership Program--still
a good model for how an art museum works with "non-arts" organizations in
the non-profit and governmental sectors to serve diverse audiences.
(Contact Julie Brekke, Partnership Supervisor, at 612.292.4347)
Best,    JIM CZ