At this year’s Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disabilities (LEAD) Conference—hosted by the Kennedy Center in Cleveland, Ohio, from August 20–22—arts leaders from Sarasota institutions took center stage. The conference, now in its 25th year, is one of the most prominent national gatherings focused on accessibility in the arts, and this year saw record attendance with over 700 participants.
Saratota Art Museum’s Director of Learning and Engagement Connie Cuadrado, along with Kelli Maldonado, Executive Director of Mission and Impact at the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation (SPAF), and Allison Hunter of SPAF, represented a collaborative effort born out of the 2023 LEAD conference in Boston: the Accessibility Advisory Council. Co-created by Cuadrado and Maldonado, the Council is a growing initiative focused on engaging community voices—particularly those with lived experiences of cognitive and physical disabilities—to help shape more inclusive and accessible arts programming.
The Sarasota team’s session, “Making it Happen, Together,” shared the successes and challenges of launching the Council. Their presentation highlighted two key Council meetings held on November 18 and June 6, where members recruited through community partnerships participated in feedback sessions, tactile exhibition tours, and hands-on activities led by SPAF’s teaching artists.
Topics covered included program engagement, accessible communication, and community outreach. Council members reviewed web accessibility tools and sensory-friendly resources like activity boards used at events such as the Wonder Symposium at The Ringling Museum, with plans to expand to the Van Wezel’s Full Family Fest on September 27, 2025.
As the Accessibility Advisory Council continues to grow, the Sarasota team looks forward to inviting more organizations to join this inclusive journey—one that began with a conversation at LEAD and is now making a tangible impact in their community.
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