Diversity and inclusion

Garage Museum of Contemporary Art’s Inclusive Programs department presents an online platform that accumulates the experience of Russian and international institutions and experts in the field of inclusion. The platform amasses research and popular science articles, interviews, reviews of inclusive events, and much more. The materials are designed for both professionals and those who are just approaching the subjects of diversity and inclusion.

The Garage team understands inclusion as a set of practices aimed at maintaining diversity in society, ensuring physical and information accessibility, and overcoming exclusion and discrimination. The platform has two main tasks: to archive the already implemented inclusive programs and represent various inclusive approaches. Analysis and systematization of a wide range of inclusive practices will allow us to trace the general trends of inclusion in the cultural environment in the future.

The platform website features four categories of content. The first three describe a step-by-step process for implementing an inclusive project, from theory and basic concepts to a guideline for project implementation:

• Theory. This category includes theoretical texts that contain definitions of concepts and descriptions of notions dealing with inclusion.
• Regulatory Framework. Select this category to find information about legislation, decrees, standards, and other official documents that govern activities in support of accessibility.
• Professional Experience and Recommendations. This category features materials in which experts in the field of inclusion share life hacks, victories, and defeats associated with designing inclusive events and adaptations, as well as useful tips and instructions.

The fourth category, Special Projects, brings together material describing interdisciplinary projects at Garage.

The required category of materials and keywords can be found under the search bar.

Encouraging pluralism of opinions, Garage’s team invites specialists in the field of inclusion to share their experience of launching and developing inclusive practices in cultural institutions. Thematically, materials uploaded on the platform will cover the existing approaches to understanding inclusion; cultural institutions’ work with people with disabilities, visitors with migration and forced migration experience; and projects aimed at overcoming discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, religion, age, physical and learning disabilities, education and income level, marital status, and other characteristics integral to the human personality.

Materials in Russian and English are accepted in the form of analytical, popular science and review articles, interviews, chronicles and news, as well as video materials. Proposals can be sent to openmuseum@garagemca.org.

The platform’s partner is Beeline; a company committed to supporting initiatives in the field of inclusion and accessibility.