Upcoming events relating to accessible graphics.
APH Webinar: Determining Instructional Purpose and Developing a Plan for Tactile Graphics
Which graphics should be turned into tactile material? How does the TVI make sure the original intent of the graphic is preserved while providing the braille reader equal access to the information? Spend some time with us learning how to determine the instructional purpose of print graphics, decide viable tactile graphic solutions, and use a planning document to prepare for creating meaningful tactile graphics.
When: Thursday, August 15, 2024, 2:00 – 3:00 PM EST
Registrations: Register Here for Determining Instructional Purpose and Developing a Plan
ANZAGG 3D printing meeting
The ANZAGG 3D printing group meets monthly online on the third Wednesday of each month to discuss 3D printing for touch readers. We always make time for informal discussion of what we have been making and to help with 3D printing queries. We often have guest speakers. The group also has a Teams folder to share files and communicate throughout the month.
August Meeting: Wednesday 21 August 2024
Guest speaker: Samuel Foulkes from Clovernook Centre for the Blind and Visually Impaired on their Tactile Literacy Initiative and recent work designing models for STEM
September Meeting: Wednesday 19 September 2024
Guest speaker: Tamara O’Callaghan, Northern Kentucky University on the advantages of 3D printing for touch readers as a project for technology students
October Meeting: Wednesday 16 October 2024
Guest speakers: Lily Gower and Hannah O’Brien (South Australia School & Services for Vision Impaired) and Dagmar Reinhardt (University of Sydney) on Museum of Touch workshops with SASSVI students exploring 3D printed natural history models
Meeting time: 11.30am Melbourne/Sydney time
Contact: Email leona.holloway@monash.edu for a Zoom invitation to the meeting or to join the group
APH Webinar – Designing Effective Tactile Displays using the Tactile Graphics Kit
Are you a TVI looking for great hands-on methods for creating tactile graphics with your students? APH’s Tactile Graphics Kit provides a fun, convenient, and highly effective solution for designing and delivering graphics. How do you use aluminium sheeting for graphics creation, and which kinds of graphics work best with this process? How do you get these to your students, and involve them in the process? Spend some time with us learning the “hows” and “whys” of utilizing this wonderful kit in the classroom setting. Craft along with us as we make a few aluminium tactile graphics together for math, social studies, and science worksheets!
Date & Time: Thursday, August 22, 2024, 2:00 – 3:30 PM EST
Registration: Register Here for Designing Effective Tactile Displays Using the Tactile Graphics Kit
2025 SPEVI Conference
The South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment will be holding the Conference in hybrid mode for the first time in 2025, with a theme of EmPOWERment through connection, inclusion and education. The call for abstracts is now open.
Dates: 13-15 January 2025
Location: University of Southern Queensland city campus, 293 Queen Street, Brisbane
Website: www.speviconference.net/
2025 Round Table Conference
The 2025 Round Table Conference will be held in Melbourne, Australia.
Dates: 24-27 May 2025
Website: https://printdisability.org/conference
3rd International Tactile Reading Conference
Tactile Reading is a recurrent event arranged with the purpose to share experiences and research in the field of tactile reading and to promote best practices and inspire to new ideas for research. The conference aims to bring together people within the tactile reading field, academics, and practitioners, for future collaboration. Registrations and the call for papers are now open.
Date: 2-4 June 2025
Location: Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, Amsterdam
Website: www.tactilereading.org
2026 Round Table Conference
The 2026 Round Table Conference will be held in Adelaide, South Australia.
Dates: May 2026
Website: https://printdisability.org/conference
Ongoing events and exhibitions
Art Gallery of Australia
Art by Description is a monthly online program for people who are blind or with low vision from across the country. Each session includes audio description of works of art in the National Gallery’s collection and presentations by specialist staff, along with poetry and music to enhance the listening experience.
Date and Time: The second Friday of every month, at 2-3pm AEST
Cost: Free
Bookings: Essential. Contact access@nga.gov.au or +61 2 6240 6632 to book and receive a Zoom link by 11am on the day of the event.
Website: https://nga.gov.au/learn/for-people-with-access-needs/for-blind-low-vision/art-by-description/
Pre-recorded Art by Description for a range of artworks are also available on demand at https://nga.gov.au/learn/for-people-with-access-needs/for-blind-low-vision/art-by-description/.
Art Gallery of South Australia
The Art Gallery of South Australia offers audio descriptions of its collections online for access any time, anywhere.
Website: www.agsa.sa.gov.au/accessible-guides/
Audio Described Theatre by Vision Australia
Vision Australia provides audio description services across a range of venues and locations throughout Australia. Details are given on their events page.
Website: www.visionaustralia.org/services/staying-connected/events
National Gallery of Victoria
NGV welcomes visitors who are blind or have low vision. Facilities include water bowls for guide dogs and all wayfinding signage includes braille and large print.
Audio described tours are available for the general collection and special exhibitions. Bookings are required at least 2 weeks prior to your visit. Contact details are given at www.ngv.vic.gov.au/contact-us/.
Audio descriptions of key collections are also available on the NGV website at https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/plan-your-visit/access/information-for-visitors-who-are-blind-or-have-low-vision/.
Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) and Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA)
Both the Queensland Art Gallery and and the Gallery of Modern Art offer audio-described tours which provide description of selected artworks. Audio description tours are available weekdays from February to November.
Bookings: Bookings must be made at least 15 days in advance.
Phone: Group Bookings Office (07) 3840 7255
Website: www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/visit/plan-your-visit/access
Sculpture by the Sea
Sculpture by the Sea is the largest free public sculpture exhibition in the world, held annually in Cottesloe (WA) and Bondi (NSW).
Visitors with disability and accompanying adults are invited to participate in a free Tactile Tour of some of the sculpture in the exhibition with experienced guides.
Tactile Tours are designed to introduce visitors with disability to new ways of experiencing and enjoying contemporary sculpture through informed discussion and touch. The works selected for each tour have been nominated by both the Artists and the Sculpture by the Sea Site Manager as being safe to touch. The sculptures are located in accessible areas. A Tactile Tour lasts approximately one hour.
Website: sculpturebythesea.com/
Sonification World Chat
The Sonification World Chat brings together researchers, producers and users interested in sonification (audio representation) of data for accessibility for people who are blind or have low vision. At each meeting we hear from new members about their projects. Meeting recordings are available online.
Website: https://sonificationworldchat.org/
YouTube: @sonificationworld3044
State Theatre Centre of Western Australia
The State Theatre Centre of WA provides audio description and tactile tours of some performances. Their website is updated regularly with upcoming shows. Tickets for the service can be purchased up to three working days prior to the performance.
Website: www.artsculturetrust.wa.gov.au/accessibility/calendar-of-accessible-events/
Phone: box office (08) 6212 9295
Email: SWAbox@ptt.wa.gov.au
Werribee Park Mansion tactile tours
Parks Victoria invites vision impaired groups to step back in time and join a guided tour at Werribee Park Mansion. Step back in time with our expert guides as they deliver a descriptive tour of the historic mansion. As you move through the mansion your guide will give you the opportunity to touch objects from each room.
Dates: Thursdays and Fridays by request
Time: 11am-11.45am
Bookings: Essential. Email werribeebookings@parks.vic.gov.au