Celebrating 40 years of Service!
Arts Access North Carolina, a nonprofit organization based in Raleigh, has been providing access to the arts for people with disabilities since 1982 (incorporated as a nonprofit in 1984). Arts Access is the only organization focused on serving people at the intersection of arts, education and disability in North Carolina. We work across all artistic disciplines and with all the disabilities to provide a wide range of accessibility services for people wanting to engage in North Carolina’s rich cultural community.
Arts Access was founded by a dedicated group of volunteers who worked to provide wheelchairs to cultural institutions which in turn made them available to their patrons. In the early 1990s Arts Access began providing audio description services, offering individuals with low-vision or who are blind the opportunity to enjoy the performing, visual and public arts. Over the years, we have become one of the largest and most well-known audio description providers in the country.
Today, Arts Access North Carolina continues to offer audio description, educational services, consultation work, workshops and training, advocacy, and one-on-one sessions with organization in and individuals from both the arts and disability communities.
Our work is funded by the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, North Carolina Arts Council, United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, John Rex Endowment, and Access/VSA as well as many individual and corporate donors.