Massachusetts: Universal Programming

 Recognizing that arts accessibility is a dynamic goal—a direction more than a destination—the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC) created its UP program to help arts and cultural organizations develop the insight, innovation, capacity and drive to evolve their spaces and programming to be inclusive of all audiences. UP, which stands for “universal programming” among other things, was shaped by MCC’s collaboration with the Institute for Human Centered Design and VSA Massachusetts. Through its UP Organization designation, the program recognizes arts groups whose accessibility practices serve to inspire the field. Currently, there are 11 organizations in this cohort, all of them embracing inclusivity as a core value and demonstrating strong commitment to learn and take action to that end. The Innovation and Learning Network (ILN), meanwhile, facilitates opportunities for experiential and collaborative learning that leads to program development. Based on a model of community practice, the ILN convenes groups with similar goals and challenges to learn from each other over an extended period. Finally, the UP Awards recognize the most effective and innovative accessibility strategies of UP and ILN organizations and provide an opportunity for the state’s arts community to gather to celebrate inclusion in the arts. Find out more from MCC Program Officer Kalyn King.