A New Plymouth art gallery has won an award for helping the disabled community experience art.

The Govett-Brewster received the Arts Access Aotearoa Big 'A' Creative New Zealand Arts For All Award in recognition of its continuing work with disabled people to better understand their needs in relation to art appreciation.

The gallery provides audio and touch tours as well as large-print exhibition guides for the blind and partially-sighted, uses a sound enhancer to make audio clearer for the hearing impaired and takes sign-language tours with an interpreter for the deaf.

Easily accessible for those who are physically disabled, the gallery has also redeveloped its website to be more disabled-friendly, trains staff in disability awareness and holds discussion forums with the disabled community.

Gallery Director Rhana Devenport was thrilled with the award but said it was only the beginning.

"It's good that they recognise we're making a sincere and genuine effort, but we know we've got a long journey ahead and lots of learning to do, it's a continuing conversation with the disabled community," she said.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Chris Finlayson hosted the awards ceremony at Parliament last night, where Arts Access Aotearoa presented five awards to individuals and organisations who help to create opportunities for disabled and impaired people to experience art.

Judges of the awards said the gallery's "commitment to accessibility is underpinned by the New Plymouth District Council's Disability Strategy  an example of best practice that gave the Govett-Brewster the edge".

The gallery was a fine example of an arts organisation developing its audience by increasing access, he said.

Source: - Taranaki Daily News
KIRSTY MCMURRAY
http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/5317584/Gallery-gets-big-tick-from-disabled/