In an exciting collaboration between CVAN London and UCL PEARL, we brought together London’s contemporary arts and sciences in Dagenham to explore how these fields can work together to create a more inclusive and accessible future for the visual arts.

The visual arts and cultural sectors face significant challenges in removing invisible barriers, exclusionary designs, and intersectional structures that prevent access for many, especially learning-disabled and disabled artists and audiences. To address these challenges, we saw the importance of working across disciplines—bringing together expertise from science, engineering, design, and technology. 

UCL PEARL (Person-Environment-Activity Research Laboratory) offered an inspiring, state-of-the-art space where we could explore multisensorial approaches to opening up the visual arts with a wider, more diverse community. 

Co-produced by Dr. Jo Townshend, Director CVAN London, and Dr. Sara Adhitya, Director of PEARL’s Arts-Sciences Programme, along with Prof. Nick Tyler, Director of UCL PEARL, the event aimed to examine how technology can help make art-making, participation, and experience more accessible.

 

What happened?

Prof. Nick Tyler introduced UCL PEARL (Person-Environment-Activity Research Laboratory), how it works, and shared its technological capabilities. Dr Sara Adhitya demonstrated ways that PEARL’s technologies may assist with making the Arts more accessible and participatory, providing examples of accessing the city through performance, sound and choreography.  

The opportunities of the research to support the challenges of the arts sector were discussed by Jo. In a background of reduced funding, limited opportunity for artists and the need to open up the sector to be more inclusive, there is an opportunity for technology to rebalance these inequities.

Dr Ali Hossaini then led the audience through the possibilities of thinking through organisation design with arts and technologies, with a case study on Adaptive Architecture.

Opening Up the Visual Arts World to be Equitable – A conversation between Jo Townshend and Sheryll Catto, Director, Action Space reflected on a roundtable discussion, ‘what is needed to make the visual arts inclusive and equitable for neurodivergent, learning-disabled and disabled artists ?’ In this conversation, Sheryll advocated for the environmental, structural and financial remodelling that will enable all artists to participate in the art world equitably through economically viable pathways.

Andrew Omoding performed with a series of artworks whilst multisensorial spaces and places were curated around him.

Spatial environments inspired by Andrew’s practice immersed audience participants in Andrew’s creative process and vision. Sound and acoustic considerations were transformed by Dr Sara Adhitya and the Making and Production team at PEARL to expand modes of embodied interaction.

Lighting for public spaces and galleries, ranging from spectrum changes to high and low light for sensory sensitivity and their associated energy considerations, was introduced by Dr Navaz Davoodian.

Lastly, Andrew’s work was interpreted through the sense of smell. Dr George Alexopoulos introduced his research and engaged the audience with olfactory interactions to demonstrate the embodied ways of engaging with motifs of the art into play.

A Multisensorial Art Experience

The multisensory experience continued with artist Andrew Omoding’s live performance. Supported by Lisa Brown from Action Space, Andrew showcased his work in a space curated with sound, light, and tactile elements.

The environment allowed the audience to immerse themselves in Andrew’s creative process, which was further enhanced by Dr. Adhitya and PEARL’s Making and Production team, who designed the sound and lighting specifically to accommodate sensory sensitivities and artistic ambitions.

Lighting expert Dr. Navaz Davoodian introduced innovative concepts for public spaces and galleries, incorporating spectrum changes and sensory-sensitive lighting, while Dr. George Alexopoulos engaged the audience with olfactory interactions, allowing them to experience Andrew’s work through the sense of smell.

Key Takeaways

The event emphasized several key insights:  

• Multisensorial approaches can transform how we create, engage with and experience art, opening it up to broader audiences. 
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration is crucial for removing barriers and fostering inclusion in the arts. By working together with experts in arts, science, technology, and engineering, we can redesign the arts sector to be more equitable and accessible.
• The arts sector needs structural, environmental, and financial changes to allow all artists—especially neurodivergent, learning-disabled and disabled artists —to participate fully and equally.
• As sustainable pool of funding to develop this work and inform policy change would make a positive impact in opening up the world of arts and culture.

Next Steps 

If you’d like to know more, shape the conversation, open up your senses and bring your sector questions to this interdisciplinary space then please register here

Whether you’re an artist, curator, researcher, and/or passionate about accessibility, we invite you to explore future events and bring your ideas to our interdisciplinary discussions.

Together, we can continue to ask important questions:

• How can we make the visual arts more inclusive for all?
• What role can technology play in breaking down barriers to access?
• How can we create multisensory experiences that engage audiences equitably?

Let’s work together to open up the world of art and culture for everyone.