Art for All
I spent my childhood in museums. Throwing caution to the wind, my grandmother routinely took me to the Gregg County Historical Museum and the Longview Museum of Fine Arts despite my family’s lack of interest in art and the limited resources in our small town. As my interest in art history grew, I never hesitated to visit museums. After all, museums exist to share their collections with the public—all the public—right?
Last week, I met some amazing people who didn’t realize that museums were for them. As I discussed the Carter’s accessible programs at my booth at the Disability Transition Expo, I kept hearing the same question: Why is the Carter here? In their questions they were not asking “Who invited the Carter to the party?” but rather “What would the Carter have to offer us?” That simple question prompted me to consider my own—Who really feels comfortable visiting museums? How can the Carter better reach out to individuals who don’t feel welcome? What additional programs and services do we need to provide?
At the Carter, our vision statement includes that we will become a cultural leader through our diverse programs and services. While it may sound naïve, I want the Carter to be a place where all people feel welcome. I’ll spend this summer developing more accessible programs to help make this a reality and would love to read your comments about what you’d like to see.