Accessibility

The Illinois Arts Council (IAC) believes in universal access to the arts and is committed to making its grant programs accessible to all Illinoisians. 

The IAC offers the following access options with regard to its grants and programs:

• Website in compliance with Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act (IITAA) which aligns with Section 508 and adheres to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 level AA requirements       
• Website is screen reader and voice only compatible, offers zoom capability, alternative text, and keyboard only operation
• Website offers translation feature for 7 languages (English, Arabic, Hindi, Polish, Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog) 
• Guidelines available digitally and in large print upon request
• Accessible Salesforce grant application portal
• All grant webinars offer closed captioning and ASL provided upon request
• Recorded webinars
• Biennial One State Conference offers physically accessible venues, ASL interpreters, and captioning upon request
• ADA Coordinator information listed for assistance

The Agency 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).

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that persons with disabilities have access to public programs for services on an equal basis with the rest of the general public. Furthermore, federal law mandates that any program or service that receives federal or state funding must be accessible to persons with disabilities. The IAC is committed to ensuring that the programs and services we fund are accessible to persons with disabilities, including those with visual, hearing, mobility, and learning impairments. The Department of Justice originally published its ADA title II and title III regulations on July 26, 1991, including the 1991 ADA Accessibility Guidelines (1991 Standards). https://www.ada.gov/2010_regs.htm

By signing an IAC 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.

Funds may not be granted unless applicants are able, if requested, to provide documentation of their efforts to be in compliance.

The IAC has adopted a new Accessibility Self-Assessment Checklist as an informal guide for applicant organizations. This checklist is neither a determination of your legal rights or responsibilities under the ADA; the 1973 Rehabiliatation Act, Section 504; nor binding upon any agency with enforcement responsibility under the ADA.

This checklist does not replace the full National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Section 504 Self-Evaluation Workbook which can be found here: Section 504 Self Evaluation Workbook and is required to be kept on file for those organizations that have received or are receiving federal funds. 

To help you through these requirements, the IAC provides technical assistance and consultation to organizations seeking assistance in ADA Compliance, contact:

IAC 504/ADA Coordinator
Teresa Davis
Email: Teresa.N.Davis@illinois.gov
Tel. 312-814-6753
TTY 888-261-7957

IAC 504/ADA Specialist
Danielle Heal
Email: Danielle.Heal@illinois.gov
Tel. 312-793-1060
TTY 888-261-7957

NEA Design for Accessibility: A Cultural Administrator's Handbook: https://www.arts.gov/about/publications/design-accessibility-cultural-administrators-handbook

NEA Brief Accessibility Checklist: https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/BriefChecklist-February2020.pdf

Graphic Artist Guild Accessibility Symbols to download: https://graphicartistsguild.org/downloadable-disability-access-symbols/

A thorough listing of information on accessibility and the arts is also available through the National Endowment for the Arts Office of Accessibility: https://www.arts.gov/impact/accessibility

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

National Endowment for the Arts
Office for Accessibility
Beth Bienvenu
Accessibility Director
bienvenub@arts.gov
(202)-682-5567

Katharine Hayward
Accessibility Specialist
haywardk@arts.gov
(202)-682-5748

The U.S. Department of Justice provides free ADA materials online. Printed materials may be ordered by calling the ADA Information Line at 800/514-0301 (voice), or 800/514-0383 (TDD).

• Federal ADA and Disability Resources: https://www.ada.gov/ada_fed_resources.htm
• Kennedy Center Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) Workshops & Conference: https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/networks-conferences-and-research/conferences-and-events/lead-conference
• Kennedy Center VSA-The International Organization on Arts and Disability: https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/vsa/
• National Arts and Disability Center website lists accessibility resources for every state. The site offers information on a number of topics including arts and accessibility, careers in the arts, assistive devices, services and products, and designing accessible websites: http://nadc.ucla.edu/.
• National Council on Disability: https://www.ncd.gov/about
• National Council on Independent Living: https://www.ncil.org/
• Centers for Independent Living: https://acl.gov/programs/aging-and-disability-networks/centers-independent-living

• Arts Midwest Accessibility Center is a website offering lots of information about making your program, facility, or website accessible: http://www.artsmidwest.org/resources/accessibility
  
• The Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center (DBTAC): Great Lakes ADA Center provides information, materials, technical assistance and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).

• Cultural Access Collaborative shares resources, information, and support statewide to ensure more accessibility and inclusivity in Illinois' cultural organizations. https://culturalaccesscollaborative.org
• Illinois Department of Human Services/ Disability & Rehabilitation: http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=29727
• The Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois: https://silcofillinois.org/

• Accessible Equipment Loans: https://chicagoculturalaccess.org/equipment-loans/
• Access Living Chicago: https://www.accessliving.org/
• Access Living Chicago/Arts & Culture: https://www.accessliving.org/arts-and-culture
• Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/mopd/auto_generated/mopd_our_structure.html

• Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals: https://adata.org/guide/service-animals-and-emotional-support-animals
• Making Termporary Events Accessible to People with Disabilities: https://adata.org/guide/planning-guide-making-temporary-events-accessible-people-disabilities
• Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc.: https://rid.org/