UP is a direction, not a destination. When we launched this program, we saw the ADA not as the pinnacle, but the platform on which we advance our work. It’s not about tolerating and accommodating. It’s about bringing forward the voices of the unheard. And making change. Persistent, relentless, urgent change. The aspirations behind the Initiative are adaptable from within the context of each organization but are critical to mobilizing change:

• Vision – of leadership, of mission, and woven into the fabric of procedures and practice
• Education – of staff, boards, volunteers, and the field and/or discipline
• Representation – people with disabilities are consultants, teachers, artists, leaders in both site evaluation and program design
• Innovation – the need to try new accessible methods and think creatively about barrier removal in physical, cultural, and digital environments.

The power of the UP Initiative is realized not just in applying principles of Universal Participation but through its community of practice. It is the people … in amongst the makers, the practitioners, the archivists, the audiences, and the teachers… who are leading this movement. We are grateful to be able to work with and serve these stewards of change. Sam Gould, president of Open Door Theater, says that while they have  long had a commitment to inclusion and accessibility, it was their participation in the UP Initiative that allowed them to “rev UP” their offerings, by “connecting us with other programs so we could share resources, knowledge and experiences, by making grants available to help us expand our own offerings, and by providing networking and training so that we could help spread the culture of inclusivity throughout our communities.”  As inaugural participants in the program’s early sessions, Open Door attendees Sam Gould and Janice Smith found that despite being the only program with neither a building, nor staff, they were the only ones consistently raising their hands to confirm various accommodations already in place.  “We were certainly the least-established/least-funded program, but we were already ahead of the curve with what we had built grass-roots on our own.  To win this award five years later is an incredible honor – not only does it recognize what we’ve done so far, the prize will allow us to continue our growth and outreach even further and higher!” Visit the Mass Cultural Council website