Upcoming events relating to accessible graphics.
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.
April Meeting: Wednesday 17 April. Guest speaker Judy Dixon, who established the 3D-printing-access listserv, will speak about her experiences as a blind person independently learning how to 3D print
Time: 11.30am AEDT
Contact: Email leona.holloway@monash.edu for a Zoom invitation to the meeting or to join the group
SciAccess Conference
SciAccess is an international non-profit organization with the mission of promoting disability inclusion in STEM education, outreach, and research. Their free online conference will be held in May 2024.
Dates: 10-11 May 2024
Cost: Free
Location: Online
Website: https://sciaccess.org
SPEVI Symposium – Braille and Tactile Learning at Royal Dutch Visio
This free online Symposium is brought to you in a unique partnership: organised by SPEVI Inc, hosted by Statewide Vision Resource Centre Victoria, and presented by Royal Dutch Visio.
The session will be recorded and made available to registered participants.
Topic: “Me and Rick”, a program teaching spatial concepts to young children who are blind and the “Braille Box” project for pre- and early braille learners.
Keynote speakers: Ans Withagen, Evert Rasing, and Ruben Brandsma, Royal Dutch Visio.
When: Tuesday 14 May 2024, 3:00 – 4:00 pm VIC/QLD (AEST)
Registrations: essential via https://www.spevi.net/
2024 Round Table Conference
The 2024 Round Table Conference will take place in Perth, Australia. The Conference them is “Information Equity: Empowerment through Technology, Advocacy and Collaboration”.
As part of the conference proceedings on Monday 20 May, ANZAGG will hold its annual meeting and host a workshop on non-visual drawing. We hope that you can join us.
Dates: Saturday 18 to Tuesday 21 May 2024
Venue: Novotel Perth Langley, 221 Adelaide Terrace, Perth, WA
Website: https://printdisability.org/conference
ICEB General Assembly
The International Council on English Braille holds a General Assembly once every four years. The theme of the Eighth General Assembly in 2024 is “200 years of braille”. Sessions will include an exhibitors display with various refreshable tactile displays.
Dates: Saturday, 25 May 2024 to Thursday, 30 May 2024
Location: The Grand Millennium Hotel, Auckland, New Zealand
Website: www.banzat.org.nz/eighth-general-assembly-general-information
Spanish Astronomical Society Meeting
The “Transforming Astronomy Through Sonification and Multidisciplinary Innovation” mini-symposium at the Spanish Astronomical Society Meeting aims to unite Spain’s burgeoning sonification community with international colleagues to discuss the current state and future prospects of the field. This session will not only showcase the latest work in sonification but also introduce the discipline to astronomers unfamiliar with its potential. The session will emphasize sonification’s applicability in pure research and analysis, in addition to its impact on outreach and the intersection between art and science.
Dates: 15-19 July 2024
Location: Granada, Spain
Website: https://rgb.iaa.es/sea2024/
2025 Round Table Conference
The 2025 Round Table Conference will be held in Melbourne, Australia.
Dates: 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.
Date: 2-4 June 2025
Location: Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, Amsterdam
Website: www.tactilereading.org
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