Making Your Programs and Services Accessible

The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts supports universal access to the arts. The Council abides by state and federal laws that prohibit public support to organizations (people or entities) that discriminate against people with disabilities. Therefore, each grantee is required to assure that they are in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).

Your Obligation as a Grantee
By signing a State Arts Council application or grant agreement, grantees are in effect acknowledging that their programs, services, and facilities are accessible, or a plan to make them accessible is in place and being followed. Section # 6 of the grant application must be completed as a prerequisite for the State Arts Council to consider funding an organization. Funds will not be granted unless applicants are able, if requested, to provide documentation of their efforts to be in compliance. The State Arts Council expects every arts organization to have assigned a staff person, board member, or other volunteer the responsibility of being the organization's 504/ADA Compliance Coordinator to ensure that every reasonable effort has been extended to make the arts accessible to everyone.

In addition, the State Arts Council expects to see:

• Evidence of inclusive programming policies, e.g., outreach activities to include individuals who face barriers to participation due to race, ethnicity, country of origin, language, economic capacity, gender orientation, ability, or geography.
• Affordable admissions, ADA compliance, culturally diverse programming.
• Evidence of audience development planning.
• Efforts to make the arts accessible to special constituencies.
• Community support and need.
• Efforts to broaden audience appreciation of new or unfamiliar work.

How to Get More Information
The State Arts Council has a collection of material to help you with your accessibility efforts. Don't hesitate to call for more information on what is available in the form of videos, notebooks, books, and grants. For more information contact the State Arts Council's interim 504/ADA Coordinator Cassandra Mason at 603-271-7926, TDD 1-800-735-2964, or by e-mail at cassandra.a.mason@dncr.nh.gov

Information on accessibility and the arts is also available through the National Endowment for the Arts website. Click here for a thorough listing of resources - Accessibility | National Endowment for the Arts

NEA Webinar: Ensuring the Accessibility of Your NEA-funded Projects

Ensuring accessibility for your virtual events
Resource guide: Resources to Help Ensure Accessibility of Your Virtual Events for People with Disabilities 
Blog: Are You Including People with Disabilities in Your Virtual Arts Events? 
An Accessibility Checklist for Virtual Events
Inclusive Language Guide from the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies
Checklist Download Page - ADA Checklists for Existing Facilities

For additional information and assistance with accessibility as it relates to the arts and Section 504, you can contact:

• NEA Office of Accessibility at 202-682-5532 voice or 202-682-5496 TDD
• ADA hotline at 1-800-949-4232 voice/TDD

The State Arts Council strongly encourages all arts organizations in the state to foster integration for individuals of all ages and abilities, whether audience members or artists, in all of their arts programs. The following symbols represent some ways to integrate people with disabilities into your own programs.

Last updated: February 5, 2024