 Milton Keynes Gallery has been nominated for the Bucks Association for Blind and Partially Sighted People (BAB) Best Company Practise Award. The Gallery has been put forward by the BAB members who participated in the Gallery's Seeing is Not Believing project last year. Winners will be announced at the award ceremony on Thursday 23 April in Aylesbury.
In the Seeing is Not Believing project Milton Keynes Gallery worked with visually impaired members of BAB over three months, taking inspiration from the Richard Woods' exhibition and exterior commission: Flora and Fauna. The BAB group took part in discussions and art workshops led by Natalie Walton, Head of Education, challenging their experience of contemporary art, developing their skills as artists and acquiring new interpretation methods. At the conclusion of the project, Milton Keynes Gallery hosted a public exhibition of work created and hung by the visually impaired group in its Project Space. Work included sculptures and wall pieces in bright, bold colours.
During the project, Milton Keynes Gallery also developed an audience-led approach to public access needs. A disability evening was held in conjunction with Milton Keynes Theatre which was attended by many of the Seeing is Not Believing participants. This led to the formation of a joint Gallery and Theatre Disability Access Steering Group which meets bi-monthly and advises both organisations on access and facilities. Thanks to the Seeing is Not Believing project, BAB members return and meet regularly at the Gallery to discuss the work on show.
Milton Keynes Gallery now offers regular Open Access Evenings - one during each exhibition, providing an audio described tour and opportunities to touch and feel materials used by the exhibiting artists. The next Open Access Evening will be on 22 April, 6 - 7.30pm during the James Lee Byars exhibition (4 April - 21 June 2009).
"The Gallery team have consistently been aware of our needs as visually impaired people and do everything they can to enable our activities. We have established a wonderful relationship with them over the last year or so and, as a result, now have a dedicated touch and described tour of each new exhibition. Our Group is now responding to contemporary art which we had previously found to be inaccessible. Thank you so much for helping us achieve something we never thought possible!"
Seeing is Not Believing participant
Buckinghamshire Association for Blind and Partially Sighted People (BAB), is a UK registered charity which provides support and services to anyone with serious sight loss throughout Buckinghamshire. Their services are available free of charge to anyone who needs it in the Buckinghamshire County Council area and the Milton Keynes area. Telephone 01908 395 498 or visit www.bucksblind.co.uk
Milton Keynes Gallery: 900 Midsummer Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes, MK9 3QA
Gallery Open: Tues - Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-5pm, Thurs open late until 8pm.
Telephone: 01908 676 900 Website: www.mk-g.org
For further information please contact Rosie Jackson on 01908 558 302 or email r.jackson@mk-g.org
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