A new age of accessibility in the arts at UTS

UTS Gallery has closed its doors on Cloud Studies, the recent exhibition on toxic clouds – caused by war, climate, protest repression, and pandemic – shaping the way humans live and connect. But the experience of touring the exhibit remains available to all via audio description.

Audio descriptions offer an objective interpretation of a scene or image. In art and performance spaces they’re designed as access tools for people with vision impairment to understand what is on display. UTS Gallery provides audio descriptions as part of an in-person tour, or as an online resource that can be accessed from a user’s smart device.

Initiated through conversations with Paralympian, theatre performer, and disability activist Sarah Houbolt, UTS Gallery began an audio description program in 2017 to provide access to exhibitions for those with vision impairments, with support from the Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion.

In 2020, the temporary closure and restricted reopening of the gallery have grown the popularity of this online format.

Imogen Yang, creator of the audio description for the Cloud Studies exhibit, explained the importance of providing a holistic experience of the tour to create an understanding of the space, as well as of the art:

'They can have video, sculpture, painting, graphics, clothing, so it is also important to give a description of what it is like to move through it and what sort of things you might take in at once, such as when entering or leaving,' she says.

Yang leads listeners through a twenty-four-minute journey of Cloud Studies. But the subject of the art, which includes human rights abuses, can be difficult to present in the objective manner required for personal interpretation.

'There are certain things that are conveyed visually that are very particular forms of information, so it is important to provide the option, then allow the individual to decide what is important to them.'

'The practice helps you hone your observational skills, one’s verbal descriptive skills, one’s ability to notice and record things in detail, which can be applied in a lot of settings.'

To provide an even more immersive experience, UTS Gallery has reached out to the local community to create accompanying essays responding to the exhibition.

The nine essays are also available in audio form on the Gallery website, read aloud by their authors so listeners can hear their responses both accessibly and authentically.

Eleanor Zeichner, Assistant Curator at UTS Gallery, emphasised the role audio description has in providing art to people with visual impairment. 

'People with disability have historically been under-catered to, and so we want to tell them that these programs exist and that they’re welcome.'

Audio description are not only useful in increasing access to art for people with vision impairments – it also creates a new opportunity for sighted people to approach art from a different perspective.

Arif Ongu, Training Specialist at the Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion, described the continuing use of audio descriptions in art as a unique way for the viewer to gain an expert’s opinion, and in some cases, the motivations of the artist themselves.

'People who have limited knowledge of art or art appreciation get to benefit from the perspective of an expert,' Arif said.

Audio description is still new in the Australian university sector, but research on best practice function and form by UTS Centre for Inclusive Design is helping increase its usage throughout UTS and more broadly across Australia, in partnership with ABC and SBS.

The use of audio descriptions in the UTS Gallery have inspired further accessibility training in UTS coursework – the Master of Orthoptics course now includes a yearly workshop in conjunction with UTS Gallery to train students on how to approach audio descriptions in a clinical setting.

Eleanor Zeichner is excited at the prospect of not only continuing the use of audio descriptions for further exhibits but also expanding the Gallery’s accessibility further.

'We would love to do Auslan tours, Tactile tours, there’s plenty of other ways to increase access. We want to do research in partnership with the disability community here at UTS.'

'Having a recorded version is so important because it means you can revisit the material over and over again.'

UTS Gallery’s next exhibit, There we were all in one place by Hayley Millar-Baker, will also use audio description and will run from the 13 April–4 June 2021.