7. Planning for access

Planning for access is not about adding adjustments at the end of a project. It is about shaping the whole experience from the outset. Access is not a checklist, it is a way of thinking. 

Under the Social Model of Disability, people are disabled by barriers in their environment, not by their impairments. Planning for access therefore begins with identifying barriers and removing them wherever possible. It also means accepting that nothing can be fully accessible to everyone at all times. The aim is not perfection, the aim is clarity, consistency, and a commitment to barrier removal. 

Access planning requires both proactive preparation and responsive flexibility. It involves asking about access requirements rather than making assumptions, building accessibility into your baseline provision, and creating systems that allow you to respond to individual needs. 

There are two core approaches to access provision: proactive and reactive. Both are necessary, but they serve different purposes. 

Proactive access 

Proactive access is what you build into your exhibition from the start. It is open and available whether or not someone has specifically requested it. It communicates clearly that disabled people are anticipated and welcomed. 

Examples in an exhibition context might include: 

• Clear access information published alongside marketing material 

• Step-free routes and clear wayfinding 

• Large-print interpretation guides available as standard 

• Captioned films 

• Plain language summaries 

• Staff training in disability equality 

• Seating throughout the exhibition space 

• Quiet or relaxed opening times 

Proactive access removes common barriers before anyone has to ask. It demonstrates that accessibility is part of the design, not an afterthought. 

Reactive access 

Reactive access responds to individual access requirements. It depends on asking in advance and creating space for people to share what they need. 

This might include: 

• Booking a BSL interpreter in response to a request 

• Arranging a touch tour 

• Providing a visual or social story 

• Adjusting lighting levels for a specific session 

Reactive access should never replace proactive planning. Instead, it sits alongside it: always plan activities to be as accessible as possible, and never assume you know what someone needs. 

A mixed approach, embedding baseline access while remaining responsive, is usually the most effective model. 

Establishing a baseline provision does not mean doing everything. It means identifying consistent standards for your organisation and applying them as routine practice. This could include minimum font sizes, plain language, access information on all marketing, seating in every gallery, trained staff, clear signage. Consistency builds trust. 

Access planning begins by identifying barriers across key areas. Barriers are not only physical. They may be: 

• Environmental (lighting, temperature, seating, layout) 
• Sensory (sound bleed, visual clutter, poor visual contrast) 
• Cognitive (dense text, jargon, unclear navigation) 
• Attitudinal (staff behaviour, assumptions, reluctance to adapt) 
• Informational (unclear pre-visit information, inaccessible websites) 
• Socio-economic (ticket cost, travel requirements, hidden charges) 

When planning an exhibition, think through the full visitor journey: 

1. Finding out about the exhibition 
2. Booking or planning a visit 
3. Travelling to the venue 
4. Arrival and welcome 
5. Moving through the space 
6. Engaging with interpretation and content 
7. Leaving and giving feedback 

At each stage, ask: 

• What barriers might exist here? 
• Who might this exclude? 
• What baseline provision could remove or reduce this barrier? 

It can be overwhelming to attempt to address every possible access need at once. Instead, move toward standardising key elements of practice. 

For example: 

• Agree a minimum font size for all exhibition text. 
• Establish a plain language summary as standard for every exhibition. 
• Include access information on every webpage and press release. 
• Create a template access statement for exhibitions. 
• Budget for access from the outset in all project plans. 

Standardising certain practices reduces reliance on memory or goodwill. It shifts access from being dependent on individuals to being embedded in systems. 

However, standardisation must remain flexible. Two people with the same impairment may have entirely different access requirements. Planning must allow for variation. 

Asking about access signals that access requirements are normal and expected. 

You should ask about access requirements rather than about disability. Knowing someone’s impairment does not necessarily tell you what barriers they face. Two wheelchair users may have completely different needs. One blind visitor may prefer audio description, while another may prefer tactile exploration. 

Methods for asking about access may include: 

• Access requirement fields within booking forms 

• Pre-visit contact options clearly advertised 

• Access requirement forms for artists, collaborators and staff 

• Open invitations in marketing: “If you have access requirements, please let us know.” 

The level of detail you ask for will depend on the nature of the event. A one-off public exhibition requires different information than a long-term residency or employment context. 

Remember: 

• Not all disabled people are experts in their own access requirements
• Some access needs fluctuate
• Some conditions are not visible
• Non-disabled people can also have access requirements

Asking about access should be the beginning of a conversation, not the end of one. 

Effective access planning requires clear communication before a visit takes place. 

Access information 

Pre-visit information should include: 

• Physical access details (step-free routes, lifts, seating, toilets) 
• Sensory information (lighting levels, sound elements, use of scent) 
• Duration, breaks, and pacing information 
• Quiet spaces or breakout areas 
• Available formats (large print, audio, BSL, Easy Read) 
• Contact details for access queries 

This information must be easy to find and written in accessible language. 

Access requirement forms 

Access requirement forms allow visitors, artists or staff to describe barriers they experience and what mitigations remove those barriers. These should focus on practical needs rather than diagnostic labels. 

Access statements 

An access statement outlines the barriers that exist for a person and the access provisions they need. It is also a transparent acknowledgement of what is not currently accessible. It is the beginning of a conversation about removing or reducing access barriers.  

It is not possible to make every exhibition fully accessible in every way. Planning therefore requires prioritisation. 

If you can only do one thing: 

• Ensure your access information is clear and visible. 
• Train your staff in disability equality and confidence. 
• Remove the most common barriers (e.g. seating, legible text, clear signage). 

Quick wins might include: 

• Increasing font size 
• Providing printed transcripts of film content 
• Introducing a relaxed opening 
• Publishing a visual story 
• Adding clear end times to events 

Core commitments might include: 

• Always budgeting for access 
• Always asking about access requirements 
• Always involving disabled people in planning 
• Always evaluating access provision 

The goal is not to achieve everything immediately. The goal is to build consistent, informed, flexible practice that improves over time. 

Planning for access is ongoing. It evolves as you learn. 

Consider: 

• What barriers are currently embedded in your exhibition planning process? 
• Where is access introduced – at concept stage or near completion? 
• Who is responsible for access decisions? 
• How do you know whether your access provision works? 
• What would change if access were treated as a creative driver rather than a constraint? 

Access planning is not separate from exhibition making. It is exhibition making. When access is embedded, exhibitions become more thoughtful, more flexible, and more engaging for a wider public.