Museum. Autism. A friendly enviroment

Date

Schedule

19:30–21:00

Place

Garage Education Center

DESCRIPTION 

Garage Museum of Contemporary Art and the Vykhod Foundation, which facilitates work with autistic people in Russia, invite museum professionals to a talk on the ways of adapting museum spaces for visitors with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Garage’s program devoted to museum accessibility, which opened with the training course Experiencing the Museum (September 28-30, 2015), continues with a talk that will look into accessibility for visitors with autism. Why might a museum space make visitors with autism feel uneasy? How can this often conservative, rigid space become more friendly and open? Executive director of the non-profit City Access New York (CANY) Sophia Rossovsky will share her experience of collaborating with New York museums and discuss museum resources that can be used for the integration of people with ASD.

In the second part of the talk Cindy VandenBosch will speak of existing programs for visitors with ASD, focusing on their practical aspects and on staff training opportunities.

Since the launch of Autism. A Friendly Environment, the Vykhod Foundation has organized several theater performances and film screenings adapted for children with ASD. Now it is launching special programs at The State Pushkin Museum and Garage Museum of Contemporary Art. Together with Garage’s Department of Inclusive Programs, the foundation has organized training courses for Garage staff, where they learn to understand — and interact with — children with ASD. This work has resulted in a special tour around Louise Bourgeois. Structures of Existence: The Cells. Coming on this tour in November were children with ASD studying in Moscow’s inclusive schools, and young people aged 20 to 25 from Technical College No. 21.

Sophia Rossovsky and Cindy VandenBosch are visiting Moscow on invitation from the Vykhod Foundation and will later travel to St. Petersburg to give a talk at the Hermitage Museum.

Autism. A Friendly Environment is run by the Vykhod Foundation and supported by organizations founded by parents of children with ASD. The program aims to facilitate the access of people with ASD and other mental disorders to public spaces.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Autism. A Friendly Environment is run by the Vykhod Foundation and supported by organizations founded by parents of children with ASD. The program aims to facilitate the access of people with ASD and other mental disorders to public spaces.

Sponsors

HOW TO TAKE PART

Admission is free, but advance registration required

registration