Union County Offers Free Cultural Accessibility Training Workshop

The Union County Board of County Commissioners invites arts organizations and other New Jersey nonprofits to a free Cultural Accessibility Training Workshop on Wednesday, October 21, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. The virtual workshop will be hosted by the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs.

John McEwen, Executive Director of the New Jersey Theater Alliance, and Kat Lily, the Alliance's Access Coordinator, will lead the session. A member of the Cultural Access Network Committee will also join them. Topics will include ADA policies, program accessibility, inclusive language and ways to communicate available access services to the public.

"Everyone should have the opportunity to take part in the arts and cultural life of our communities," said Union County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Joseph C. Bodek. "This workshop gives organizations practical tools to welcome more people to their programs and make accessibility part of their planning from the start."

Participants will receive resources from the Cultural Access Network, a program of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the New Jersey Theater Alliance that helps cultural organizations make their programs and facilities more accessible to seniors and people with disabilities.

Organizations that receive Union County Local Arts Program, History Grant or HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) funding are encouraged to attend. Other New Jersey nonprofits are welcome.

Registration is free at https://ucnj.org/cultural-access-training/.

The workshop is made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

For more information, contact the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, part of the Department of Parks and Recreation, at [email protected] or 908-558-2550.