Dear … ,

I hope this finds you at a good moment, and in fair circumstances.

I’m writing to you in the context of your work – and a survey that Access Lab & Library is conducting. (If you’re not sure who/what we are, you can find out more below.)

If you can spare between 8–20 minutes of your time – depending on how much you have to say! – we would deeply appreciate the chance to learn about your thoughts and experiences.

This survey – backed by an investment by Creative Victoria to undertake a feasibility study for low- and no-cost access strategies, including workshops, resources and an equipment loan library – is designed to help us understand and address barriers and opportunities for making accessibility richer, more approachable and more freely available.

Anything you have to say will help – whether access is something you’ve never managed to find time for, or it’s at the absolute heart of what you do.

Quick primer: how do we think about access?

In this survey, we ask you to think about what would be possible if there were fewer barriers. We’ve found it sometimes helps to share some quick resources to frame that discussion.

ALL approaches access as a temporary, collectively-held space, as an experimental field, and as a platform for generosity. Our interest in capacity-building is grounded in concepts like access intimacy¹ and open access².

Some of our more frequently-cited influences include Georgina Kleege on audiodescription³ and Christine Sun Kim on captions⁴.

Our foundational project (which demonstrates much of what we do) was ~~~~~‘…derelict in uncharted space…’⁵, commissioned by Melbourne Fringe and Chunky Move. And of course, we have a website⁶.

We believe access elevates encounters with art for everybody; as a strategy for distribution, as a carriage of subjectivity, and an invitation for deeper reflection.

Take the survey

Okay – enough preamble!

You can open the survey here:
(personalised link to be created)

—

Thank you for considering this invitation, and please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

With kind wishes,
Fayen, Lloyd & Jon
on behalf of Access Lab & Library

---

Links:

1. https://leavingevidence.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/access-intimacy-the-missing-link/

2. https://canadianart.ca/essays/access-revived/

3. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305885103_Audio_Description_Described_Current_Standards_Future_Innovations_Larger_Implications

4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfe479qL8hg

5. https://accesslab.world/featured-project:-~~~~~%E2%80%A6derelict-in-uncharted-space%E2%80%A6

6. https://accesslab.world/