The Walker Art Center empowers people to experience the transformative possibilities of the art and ideas of our time and to imagine the world in new ways. In our over 125-year history, we have become one of the most celebrated art museums in the country and we are known for our innovative presentations and acclaimed collections of contemporary art across the spectrum of the visual, performing, and media arts.
The Walker Art Center seeks an Accessibility Resources and Program Associate to advance the “Accessibility at the Center” initiative. The Associate supports projects focused on increasing accessibility for people with disabilities including developing and coordinating the production of accessible interpretive tools related to the permanent collection and special exhibitions, and facilitating programming designed for people with disabilities. The Accessibility Resources and Program Associate will also provide administrative and coordination support for the Accessibility at the Center initiative. They will demonstrate a welcoming and flexible approach to engaging a diverse range of constituents with the programming and content of the museum that shapes people’s understanding of art with a focus on learner-centered, inquiry-based methods rooted in the principles of universal design for learning.
The Walker Art Center was awarded a three-year grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to launch Accessibility at the Center, an initiative that increases accessibility for visitors with disabilities by developing new accessible interpretive tools and resources and updating and relaunching the Walker’s Accessibility Programs. The museum will engage D/deaf and disabled artists and community members as well as organizations that are rooted in and serve the disability community as key partners in this work. This role is a 24-month fixed-term position that will report to the Associate Director of Learning and Accessibility. This initiative will undergird the Walker’s ability to provide an accessible and inclusive visitor experience now and into the future.

TRAINING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

• Attend exhibition trainings, Educator onboarding training, trainings for frontline staff, and other training sessions as required.
• Research and become familiar with the exhibitions on view at the Walker.
• Assist in developing and coordinating training related to accessibility for other members of Walker staff.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• 3+ years of experience working with people with disabilities including physical and/or cognitive disabilities in personal and/or professional settings.
• Experience applying universal design for learning and culturally-competent teaching techniques to the development and facilitation of learning experiences and art-making workshops for people of all ages with disabilities.
• Experience producing and/or planning accessibility accommodations.
• Familiarity with assistive technology, adaptive tools, etc.
• Proactive and able to work independently as well as within a team; ability to problem- solve and anticipate needs.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate and work effectively with a wide range of constituents and people across a variety of cultures, generations, and abilities.
• Flexibility to work a range of days and hours including occasional evenings and weekends as determined by programming.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Photoshop, and/or InDesign.

PREFERRED SKILLS

• Deep knowledge and intimate cultural contextualization within disability communities.
• Fluency in language in addition to English with preference for American Sign Language (ASL).
• Familiarity with art materials and art-making techniques.
• Education in disability studies, education, fine arts, design or architecture, art history, or art education.

Interpretive Resource Development

• In partnership with the Associate Director of Learning and Accessibility and the Manager of Interpretation, develop and coordinate the production of accessible interpretive tools to provide equitable access to the permanent collection and exhibitions including but not limited to:
• Captions and descriptive transcripts for artworks that feature audio for visitors who are D/deaf, DeafBlind, or hard-of-hearing
• Verbal descriptions of artworks and/or exhibitions for visitors who are blind, DeafBlind, or have low vision
• Exhibition labels produced as large print, braille, .brf file, and audio files
• Social narratives and sensory maps
• Tactile tools for learning
• In partnership with the Design Department, coordinate production details for accessible interpretive tools such as translation, transcription, design, printing, etc.
• Conduct research on potential materials, formats, platforms, and vendors to inform structure of interpretive tools.
• Contribute to research, writing, and editing of accessible interpretive materials.
• Support evaluation of accessible interpretive tools through surveying and other accessible evaluation methods.