Negotiating Access Conflicts for More Generative Potential

Though there is a wintery chill on this November night of 2023, I am beyond ecstatic. I am lucky enough to see my favorite, always sold out, Broadway in Chicago musical for the second time this month, this time with my son. Though I visited this same theater just two weeks prior, I did not recognize the access conflicts we would encounter. Maybe because my access needs vary somewhat drastically from my son’s. His disability necessitated the use of a rollator for mobility this evening since my unwell body could not handle disassembling, lifting into my truck, and then reassembling his motorized wheelchair for navigation. Especially when it involved doing this twice, going to the theater and once I returned home. It was not until the rollator almost flipped over, landing us both on the ground in the entryway of the theater as people trampled over us, that my eyes were opened to all the ways in which this exciting night would be overshadowed by tears, frustration, and the inability to have our access needs met. The irony of it all was that I was informed by their dedicated Accessibility Team that the theater and amenities were fully accessible.  

Chicago-based 3Arts/BOW Artist in Residence Terri Lynne Hudson led a fascinating talk on Representational Conundrums: The Generative Potential of Access Conflict, which addresses experiences like mine and many others navigating the art world with disabilities. This live virtual conversation with Hudson in collaboration with 3Arts / Bodies of Work was initially hosted on October 22, 2024, but can now be viewed on YouTube at the link below. Hudson spoke of her exciting take on art accessibility, which she planned to implement in her project with the UIC Disability Cultural Center. A project made of many parts, all of which would meet varying access needs.

As stated in the title, representational conundrum is a term coined by disability studies scholar Dr. Carrie Sandahl (2018) “…to describe challenging, puzzling, or paradoxical issues that are unique to or complicated by disability’s presence” (pp.130-131). Within the context of this term, Hudson explores the often complicated circumstances surrounding disability presence within the arts due to societal norms. Generative potential refers to the chance to produce or create. Lastly, access needs are accommodations a disabled person requires to function within or to navigate a particular space. Therefore, as the title of this conversation suggests, Hudson discusses puzzling concerns of varying accommodation requirements to ensure disability representation and how these contrasting needs could create new ways to perform and interact within the art setting.  Three overarching themes arose during the talk: access essentials, conflicting access needs, and new ways to address representation while honoring these needs.

Post-COVID-19, Hudson expressed that internet access is typically forgotten as an access need that may not be available to many. With internet-accessible shows, theater, and conversations taking place, it is vital to ensure that other modalities of viewership are available. To this end, Hudson expressed her plans to have a leading showcase with the ability to join remotely, with various in-person works from the project physically located in other locations where audiences could interact in person. Hudson explains that this not only serves as a solution to the lack of technology access but also works to be inclusive of other audience members with access needs associated with sensory and low vision. People vary, and so do access needs and how they experience art. While the showings will vary, essential access needs will be met at each location. This includes but is not limited to access to masks, an ASL interpreter if needed, accessible space, closed captioning, etc. 

Within the conversation, Hudson discussed an interesting conundrum: conflicting access needs. She discussed how, in advocating for her needs as an artist for a show, she inadvertently caused a fellow disabled artist not to have access to meet their needs. Hudson explained that while advocating for one’s needs is necessary and should continue, it is essential to remember how that could cause someone else's inaccessibility. Further, she argues that this should be of concern to the organization hosting the event to ensure they continue to grow and build upon the accessibility already achieved. One suggestion includes hiring Access Doulas to assist patrons who are also disabled and familiar with these needs.

Hudson suggests that a conundrum some disabled artists face since the end of masking mandates includes safe spaces that do not put them or viewers at greater risk of illness. Creative possibilities to minimize being in person were discussed, which are also an alternative to recordings of live plays. For example, unionized artists have negotiated props or screens on stage where the artist performs remotely but synchronously as an aesthetic. This can be with other characters, like as a narrator, or alone on stage as a monologue. This new way of doing theater is reminiscent of the “radical accessibility” or “open access” discussed by blind artist Carmen Papalia (2019) in For a New Accessibility. Other suggestions Hudson made that she also utilizes include asynchronous collaboration between team members, including virtual meetings, emails, and even written letters. Modifying parts so disabled actors have more opportunities to play roles was also discussed. Hudson reminded attendees that people with disabilities can play leading character roles if the script makes this a possibility. Expressing the frustrations disabled artists face when they are tokenized or typecasted and seen as valuable in only certain acting parts, even with great skill range, this is a form of a representational conundrum. 

Hudson left the audience, including potential art organizers, some valuable and insightful suggestions:

• Meeting essential access needs should be an expectation
• Lead the conversation with access that can be provided (consider pairing up with an organization that can meet some or many of the access needs through their venue)
• Acknowledge when there is a misstep, then build upon it
• Get feedback and use it
• Conflicts in access needs will arise; embrace them and expound on their generative potential
• Utilize crip time or provide extra time to ensure disability care needs are being met (i.e. recording the show for later access)
• Remove the phrase “fully accessible" from venue literature, as this is impossible; instead, focus on generating more potential for accessibility each time

While total accessibility is unlikely, working towards as much accessibility as possible is feasible and a step in the right direction. As Alice Shepard, artistic director and founder of Kinetic Light, stated, “We’re thinking about access as an ethic, as an aesthetic, as a practice, as a promise, as a relationship with the audience” (Fuhrer, 2022). This approach benefits the audience and the artists in true disability representation within the arts and art spaces. 

Learn more about Terri at her website: https://www.terrilynnehudson.com/

Watch a recording of this presentation by visiting YouTube: https://youtu.be/AOB9qgKeUeE?feature=shared 

Learn more about access within performative arts through Kinetic Light: Accessibility

Works Cited

Fuhrer, M. (2022, August 17). ‘Access as an Ethic’: giving dance myriad points of entry. The 

New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/17/arts/dance/kinetic-light-disability-arts-access.html

Papalia, C. (2019). For a new accessibility. In Routledge eBooks (pp. 34–47). 

https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429260902-3

Sandahl, C. (2018). Using Our Words: Exploring Representational Conundrums in Disability 

Drama and Performance. Journal of Literary & Cultural Disability Studies, 12, 129 - 144.