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Many Syrian newcomers toured ROM as part of an initiative between ROM and Ahlan Canada.

How do we include more sensory experiences in a museum? How can we bring programs and exhibitions alive for everyone? These are questions Cheryl Blackman loves asking in her audience-development role at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). With operating budgets covering only the basics, answers to these fun questions usually start with a generous gift from a donor who's equally passionate about accessibility initiatives.

"Donor support is vital to our work at the ROM – it helps us deliver things that are a bit out there, or take a step that's a little risky," she explains. "Without it, we are limited."

'Out there' might include taking pieces of the planet Mars to Boys and Girls Clubs across the city, 3-D printing parts of a whale to show what one feels like, and including a bustling marketplace in the Pompeii exhibit.

"Suddenly an exhibition like Pompeii comes alive in a way that people don't anticipate. This wouldn't have happened had we not already been thinking about making the experience as inclusive as possible. Having a donor for the accessibility part means we can actually create a range of elements, which in fact become a family space, an accessible space, a try-on space," says Ms. Blackman.

Inclusive designs take accessibility beyond the goal of meeting standard requirements, and instead bring new kinds of energy to the relationship between artists and all audiences.

ROM-kid.jpgUp close and personal with with a dinosaur, futalognkosaurus, near the Michael-Lee Chin visitor entrance. (Credit: SUPPLIED)


"It's new ground, even for artists and people who are developing exhibitions – how not to compromise their work, but still make it accessible," says Ms. Blackman. "In fact, we're aiming to get a broader range of people excited about the work."

Clearly the motivation is there for artists and other creators, but then you'd expect these visionary types to be on board with any challenge to the norm. However, are these passions rippling out to the wider community and to potential donors? Or is there still a lingering idea that government grants should widen the doorways? It's a concern that Ms. Blackman takes very seriously.

"Attitudes are changing, but we still need the conversation to continue. We – the ROM, artists, donors and corporate partners – have to be agents of change.

"It's our job to show how this conversation is in fact tied to all the aspirations that someone might have for funding a project," she adds. "It's such an important role and something a prospective donor should really feel proud about, the way that their support allows us to engage with the diverse communities and execute projects that are going to have the greatest impact."


This content was produced by Randall Anthony Communications, in partnership with The Globe and Mail's advertising department. The Globe's editorial department was not involved in its creation.

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