Tennessee: Arts and Inclusion Conversations across Tennessee

Through a new series of Arts and Inclusion (A&I) Conversations, the Tennessee Arts Commission (TAC) is working with another state agency, the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, to increase participation and inclusion in the arts for all Tennesseans. The conversations, coordinated and facilitated by the Council on Developmental Disabilities, bring together representatives of local disability and arts organizations to build relationships and to identify best practices for increasing arts accessibility for persons with disabilities. Each conversation addresses issues specific to its participants, building off the question of what an inclusive, barrier-free arts experience would look like. All of the convenings benefit from the strategic insights and other resources offered by the Council on Developmental Disabilities. So far, TAC has held two A&I Conversations, and it is planning a third to ensure it hears voices from across the state. It also is developing local resource groups and creating a best-practices guide for statewide distribution. TAC launched the A&I Conversations initiative to realize the first goal—Thriving Tennessee Arts and Culture—of its soon-to-be-released strategic plan. For more information, contact TAC Arts Access Director William Coleman.