‘Using what we know about disability to change how museums work for everyone’ is the tagline for The Sensational Museum

Led by Professor Hannah Thompson from Royal Holloway, University of London, The Sensational Museum is a £1 million pound-funded project by the Arts and Humanities Research Council whose goal is to alter current access methods and introduce a deeper sense of inclusivity within the museum sector in the UK. 

Thompson is joined by a plethora of professionals on this project who unite on the idea that disability needs need to be put at the centre of all museums’ strategies going forward. There is Social Design specialist Anne Chick from the University of Lincoln; Psychologist Alison Eardley from the University of Westminster; and Museum Studies expert Ross Parry from the University of Leicester. They will work together between April 2023 and July 2025 to really transform the way disabled and non-disabled people interact with the art and each other in museums in the future.

Collaborating with museum staff as well as disabled and non-disabled visitors, the more-than-equipped team will be looking into two core areas: new ways of accessing museum collections and cataloguing objects in a more inclusive way. The key idea is to acknowledge and put into practice the fact that the needs of diverse visitors are all unique and not everyone absorbs art in the same way. Sector organisations include VocalEyes, an initiative that works towards inclusion for the visually impaired and blind in the arts and heritage sector, Curating for Change which helps create career paths for the disabled community, and the Museums Association, a membership organisation that campaigns for socially engaged museums. They will all be on hand to offer acute advice and inspiration as to how this project can create innovative change within museums across the country. 

“Many people want or need to access and process information in ways that are not only – or not entirely – visual. But museums are very sight-dependent places. Let’s imagine a museum experience that plays to whichever senses work best for you. The project aims to give all visitors inclusive, engaging, enjoyable and memorable experiences,” Professor Hannah Thompson. 

Visit The Sensational Museum website to stay up-to-date with this project and how it’s developing. It has the capacity to create real social justice and impact the disabled community and how they will be able to engage with art in a more inclusive way in the future. 

Tatiana Lee is an award-winning disability inclusion and accessibility consultant, producer, model, actor and activist

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2023, Included is proud to be sharing in the joys of women and their successes. International Women’s day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women around the world. The globally-celebrated day was initiated in 1908 when women marched through the streets of New York calling for higher pay, shorter hours and the opportunity to vote. A year later, the Socialist Party of America celebrated the first National Woman’s Day. Notably, today we will be celebrating Tatiana Lee, Apple TV+ Accessibility Lead.

Tatiana Lee is an award-winning disability inclusion and accessibility consultant and is herself a wheelchair user. She has also modelled in campaigns for Apple, Target, Zappos, and a host of others. Lee’s activism was influenced by the underrepresentation of people with disabilities in the media and entertainment industry. Her passion and commitment to creating a more inclusive Hollywood and creating accessible working places pushed her to advocate for accessibility and disability visibility in the entertainment scene. 

Via Tatiana’s Facebook Page

She was known to be very consistent on social media platforms — raising awareness and seeing that emerging disabled creatives access opportunities to be included in Hollywood films and other entertainment platforms. Speaking on her experience of navigating the entertainment industry as a disabled woman of colour, Lee expressed that “I have discovered a more profound passion advocating for accessibility and inclusion in Media and Tech.” She continued,“I never thought six years later that I will be taking on a role that encompasses all those passions into one,” Lee said. 

However, Lee’s advocacy, consultation, and production projects won her numerous awards, notable among them was the Hollywood Fringe Festival Encore Producers Award. Most of her works were featured by reputable media outlets, including Forbes, CNET, Washington Post, and Apple Newsroom.

Tatiana Lee is not only an incredible example of what disabled women can achieve but her work is also increasing opportunities and improving the lives of disabled women.

Despite some lingering obstacles in the disabled employment space, statistics show a positive trend for the disabled community and inclusive working environments

Disabled employment has seen a significant rise over the past few years in both the United Kingdom and the United States. According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in the UK and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in the US, the number of disabled people in full-time employment has increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic, despite dipping in 2020.

The Department for Work and Pensions reports that, in the UK, the number of disabled people in employment has risen from 2.9m in September 2013 to 4.9m in September 2022 (a 70.6% increase). This is the highest rate of disabled employees in the UK since records began, and a significant improvement on previous figures. The BLS also reports a similar trend in the US, with the percentage of disabled people in full-time employment rising from 19.1% in 2019 to 21.3% in 2022.

There are a number of reasons for the positive trend. One is the increased availability of jobs for disabled people. In the UK, the government has introduced a number of initiatives to support disabled people in work, such as the Access to Work scheme, which provides financial assistance to employers who employ disabled people. The US has also adopted similar measures, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to disabled employees.

© Pexels

Another factor contributing to this positive trend is the fact that more employers are seeing the value in employing disabled people. Many employers now recognize that disabled people bring unique skills and perspectives to the workplace, which can benefit their business. This is leading to more opportunities for disabled people and a more inclusive working environment.

Finally, the changing attitudes of society towards disabled people have also been a contributing factor. There is now greater acceptance of disabled people in society, which has created a more welcoming environment for disabled people in the workplace.

Overall, the rising rate of disabled employment in the UK and the US shows a positive trend. It proves that progress is being made in creating more inclusive working environments, and that employers are recognising the value that disabled people can bring to the workplace.