Senses in Dialogue: A Participatory Approach to Accessibility of IMMA’s Collection

The Foundation of the Museum of the Macedonian Struggle and Modern History of Macedonia (IMMA) announces its collaboration with Off Stream NGO for the development of a Feasibility Study aimed at ensuring equal access for individuals with sensory disabilities to its exhibition content, as well as creating a cultural space open to everyone. This initiative is part of IMMA’s strategy to systematically enhance accessibility and inclusion.

The Study focuses on the accessibility of individuals with partial or total vision loss, Deafness or Hard-of-Hearing, and is based on the principles of Inclusive Design and Creative Access combined with Participatory Design methods. Following the disability movement’s principle of “nothing about us without us,” the Study is developed with the participation of a four-member Focus Group consisting of individuals with sensory disabilities, as well as through the collaboration of professionals specializing in Greek Sign Language Interpretation, Museology, Museum Education, and Modern History, ensuring that the proposed solutions respond to the real needs of users and benefit wider audience groups.

The Study will be produced in both printed and digital form, following international accessibility standards, and its proposals will serve as a guide for planning actions and interventions that will be gradually implemented in the coming years based on a strategic plan. IMMA’s goal is to develop solutions that eliminate barriers and ensure the meaningful participation of all individuals in the museum experience, promoting equal access to culture.

IMMA’s collaboration with Off Stream, which has extensive experience in inclusion and accessibility in culture, combined with the active participation of individuals with sensory disabilities in the research team, makes the Study an innovative example of inclusion within Greece’s cultural sector. The initiative Senses in Dialogue: A Participatory Approach to Accessibility of IMMA’s Collection positions IMMA among museum institutions that systematically and methodically invest in long-term accessibility policies and create new bridges of communication with the public.

The project is implemented with funding and under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture – Directorate of Modern Cultural Heritage.

Contributors:

• General Supervision: Stavroula Mavrogeni, Professor at UoM, Director of KEMIT–IMMA

• Supervision, Coordination – Museological Guidance: Athina Pavlidou, Philologist–Museologist, Cultural Manager, Director of IMMA

• Scientific Responsibility: Off Stream

• Research–Writing: Stella Anastasaki, Art Historian – Archaeologist; and Christina Vlachou, Cultural Manager – Economist

• Scientific Support – Museological Accessibility: Chara Kanari, Assistant Professor, TEPAE AUTH

• Scientific Support – Accessibility for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Individuals & Greek Sign Language Interpretation: Spyros Kouzelis, Certified GSL Interpreter

• Focus Group: Matina Dritsa, Rafailia Kaklimani, Dora Moirasgenti, Fani Tsikoura

• Graphic Design: Mariza Tsakona

• Funding–Auspices: Ministry of Culture, Directorate of Modern Cultural Heritage

• Communication Sponsor: Makedonia Newspaper