About
Mass Cultural Council’s Universal Participation (UP) Initiative was established in 2015 to advance access at cultural facilities throughout the Commonwealth. The UP Initiative takes as a basic tenet that increasing accessibility for people with disabilities increases accessibility for everyone.
In 2025 the Mass Cultural Council launched a d/Deaf and Disability Equity Plan that supports creating communities of practice and shared resources, ongoing education for staff and volunteers, and access plans for project and policy improvements.
Leaders at organizations that embrace inclusion as central to their mission know that “by design” we can anticipate and accommodate patrons, staff, volunteers, and students. The intent is to enhance the cultural experiences for everyone, build capacity, fuel insight, and inspire action. Using the directives of Universal Design as guiding principles, the UP Initiative looks to four distinct characteristics that build the foundation for “access” work.
- Equity: A vision of inclusion is baked into the systems of governance. A shared sense of purpose informs the entire organization and shapes priorities, policies, and practices. Inclusion is woven into everything the organization does – marketing, planning, budgeting, fund raising, programing, and branding.
- Education: Provisions are available for staff training about inclusive culture. The best inclusive design solutions will never succeed without the commitment and engagement of board, staff, volunteers, designers, and others taking part in the work of the organization. In addition, this skill set is shared across the discipline and the field, empowering our cultural sector and strengthening our plurality.
- Representation: The institution centers marginalized voices to inform strategies. People with disabilities, temporary functional limitations, sensory sensitivities, or neural-differences, have developed natural expertise in dealing with the barriers in our physical, cultural, and social environments. These “user/experts” offer critically important perspectives and insights. “Nothing about us, without us!” is the rallying cry when seeking a reliable means of continuous improvement.
- Innovation: Your institution supports a culture of risk taking. Fresh ideas come from fresh insights and a willingness to engage in trial and error. Creating great places and experiences that work for everyone is the challenge. What new solutions are percolating within your team? The Universal Participation Initiative recognizes that accessibility is and should be a work in progress. UP is a direction, not a destination. UP is about process, not perfection.
