Help Shape DCLA’s Five-Year Accessibility Plan
Share Your Feedback

The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) has released a draft proposal of their five-year accessibility plan outlining past, present, and future initiatives aimed at fostering a more inclusive workplace and cultural sector for people with disabilities. DCLA is now inviting feedback from the public as they finalize the plan over the next several months.

What this means
Last year, the NYC Council passed an amendment to the administrative code of the city, Local Law 12 of 2023, requiring every city agency to develop and implement a plan that includes the steps it is currently taking and will be taking over the next five years to ensure that their workplace, services, programs, and activities are accessible to, accommodating, and inclusive of persons with disabilities. The plans must address the five areas:

• Digital Access
• Physical Access
• Effective Communications
• Workplace Inclusion
• Programmatic Access

Developed in collaboration with advocates, staff, and leaders, with ongoing input expected from the disability community and the public, DCLA’s plan aims to build on the CreateNYC Cultural Plan emphasizing: 

• the reinforcement of internal support networks with mandated training, accommodation procedures, and employee resource groups
• meeting Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA for its digital platforms and user testing
• guidance on public inclusion for online meetings
• expanded outreach for grant selection panels
• increased inclusion in public art projects
• a clear grievance procedure for members of the public alleging discrimination based on disability

What you can do
Review DCLA’s plan and submit your comments by the deadline on February 16, 2024. Comments can be submitted via email, online or mail.
 

REVIEW THE PLAN

SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS

 

FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION:
Kevin Gotkin of Crip News has called for further community response, noting the lack of specificity in the DCLA’s plan, and how much of this work around accessibility in NYC government was developed and advanced by disabled artists and organizers. Gotkin has drafted a template for folks to submit a public comment calling on DCLA to:

1. Support disabled people to lead
2. Make disability-affirmative employment real
3. Be transparent about capacity
4. Prepare the next administration
5. Strengthen the Cultural Development Fund review process

Join in leaving a public comment on the draft plan to amplify these asks.
 

LEAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT