Accessibility Academy
How to apply
Please complete the registration form by:
Sunday, 30 August 2026, at 23:59
[Registration form]
[Read more about the event]
What is the Accessibility Academy?
The Accessibility Academy is a 2-day event.
The event is about making arts and culture more accessible.
Accessibility means removing barriers.
These barriers can stop some people from taking part in cultural activities.
The event will bring together:
- disabled people;
- artists;
- people who work in culture;
- accessibility advisers;
- researchers;
- activists;
- representatives of disability organisations.
Participants will:
- share their experiences;
- learn from one another;
- discuss accessibility;
- make professional connections;
- think about how culture can include more people.
There will be:
- talks;
- workshops;
- film screenings;
- group discussions.
There is no single solution that works for everyone.
The event will explore different ideas and approaches.
Why is this event needed?
A British Council study looked at arts and disability in Romania.
The study found many creative and determined people working in culture.
But disabled people still face many barriers.
For example:
- professional training may not be accessible;
- workplaces may not meet their needs;
- cultural organisations may not have accessible ways of working;
- there is very little recognised training about accessibility;
- disabled artists may not receive the same opportunities as other artists.
Disabled artists are underrepresented in the cultural sector.
They are sometimes expected to prove that they are exceptionally talented before they receive an opportunity.
The Accessibility Academy wants to help people find better ways of working together.
What will we discuss?
Participants will discuss questions such as:
- What does accessibility mean in different cultural settings?
- How can disabled artists receive better training and professional opportunities?
- What can Romania learn from other European countries?
- What can other countries learn from Romania?
- How can accessibility become part of everyday cultural work?
- How can cultural spaces help everyone feel welcome?
- How can cultural experiences bring curiosity and joy to everyone?
Subjects included in the programme
The programme will include:
- how to organise inclusive cultural events;
- theatre created by and for Deaf people;
- accessible buildings and spaces;
- the experiences of disabled artists working in culture;
- theatre for and with neurodivergent people;
- theatre for and with people with learning disabilities.
Participants will work together as equal partners.
The event is not only a training course.
It is also an opportunity to:
- compare different ways of working;
- talk honestly about what works and what does not work;
- meet new people;
- develop new ideas.
Speakers
Confirmed speakers and organisations include:
- Dalila D’Amico – Al.Di.Qua, Italy;
- Ruxandra Mateescu – Supereroi Printre Noi, Romania;
- Olga Macrinici – Romania and the United Kingdom;
- Jitka Vrbková – Divadlo Aldente, Czech Republic;
- Iris Popescu – AMAIS, Romania;
- Jonathan Meth – United Kingdom;
- Ligia Soare – Animest Împreună, Romania;
- Herbert Gantschacher – ARBOS – VISUAL Deaf Theatre Festival, Austria;
- CODA – Farmecul tăcerii, Romania;
- Creier Divers, Romania.
Who can apply?
Many different people can apply.
You can apply if you are a disabled person who:
- works in arts or culture;
- wants to work in arts or culture;
- wants to learn more about the cultural sector.
You can also apply if you work as:
- an artist;
- a cultural manager;
- a producer;
- a curator;
- a programmer;
- a communications professional;
- an educator;
- a cultural mediator;
- a journalist;
- a critic;
- a disability rights professional or activist.
You can work independently or for an organisation.
The organisation can be public, private or independent.
You do not need formal qualifications in arts or culture.
Your personal experience and your questions are important.
Places reserved for disabled people
At least 30% of the available places are reserved for:
- disabled people;
- carers who support disabled people.
This applies to people with any type of disability and any professional background.
Applying for a place
Complete the registration form by:
Sunday, 30 August 2026, at 23:59
[Registration form]
The organisers may check whether the event matches your experience and expectations.
They may contact you to discuss this.
This will help them create a group whose members can participate and learn together.
Help with the form
You can ask for help if:
- you need support to complete the form;
- you need this information in another format;
- you have questions about accessibility;
- you want to discuss what you need in order to participate.
Contact:
Ruxandra Mateescu
Access and Mediation Lead
contact@supereroiprintrenoi.ro
For other questions about the event, contact:
Accessibility at the event
The event will provide:
- wheelchair access;
- an accessible toilet;
- a quiet room;
- sensory and fidget toys;
- information in Plain Language and Easy Read;
- Romanian Sign Language interpretation during some sessions.
The event will use different ways of presenting information.
The organisers will pay attention to sensory needs.
If you have a specific accessibility requirement, email:
contact@supereroiprintrenoi.ro
The organisers have limited resources.
They may not be able to provide every type of support.
They will talk openly with you and try to find suitable solutions.
More information about the programme and accessibility will be sent to confirmed participants one week before the event.
Languages
The main spoken language will be English.
Romanian translation will be available.
Some sessions will also have Romanian Sign Language interpretation.
How the event understands disability
The Accessibility Academy follows the Social Model of Disability.
This model says that people are often disabled by barriers in society.
These barriers can include:
- inaccessible buildings;
- inaccessible information;
- negative attitudes;
- rules or ways of working that exclude people.
Removing these barriers helps more people participate equally.
About Access Constellation
The Accessibility Academy is part of a larger project called:
Access Constellation: Co-creating Inclusive Cultural Futures
The project is organised by EUNIC Romania.
EUNIC means European Union National Institutes for Culture.
It is a European network of national cultural organisations.
The project is supported by the EUNIC Cluster Fund 2026.
Nine cultural institutes are involved:
- Italian Cultural Institute;
- British Council Romania;
- Polish Institute;
- Goethe-Institut;
- Czech Centre;
- Instituto Cervantes;
- Romanian Cultural Institute;
- Austrian Cultural Forum;
- French Institute.
The project promotes:
- inclusion;
- accessibility;
- cooperation;
- learning;
- sustainability;
- community participation.
The 4 stages of the project
1. Accessibility research
April–July 2026
The project studied accessibility needs in Romanian arts and culture.
2. Accessibility Academy
3–4 September 2026, Bucharest
This is the event described on this page.
3. Accessibility Incubators
September–October 2026
Participants will develop and test ideas about accessibility.
4. Arts and Disability Forum
22–23 October 2026
This event will take place as part of the National Theatre Festival.
The project is based on the British Council study:
Arts and Disability in Romania: From Fragmented Practice to a National Framework
The project was developed with:
- Olga Macrinici, Arts and Disability Curator;
- Ruxandra Mateescu, Access and Mediation Lead.
[Read more about Access Constellation]