Official project title – „An evaluation of the accessibility of Lithuanian Art Museums services for people from socially excluded groups” (2017-2018)
The project is partly supported by the Lithuanian Council for Culture and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Lithuania.
Research Relevance and Importance
In Lithuania, there is noticeable rapid population ageing, the unemployment rate is above the EU average, and poverty and social exclusion rates are among the highest in the European Union. The country‘s well-being indicators are particularly low, there is obvious territorial employment inequality, while particularly many difficulties are faced by the socially vulnerable groups of society. People who found themselves socially excluded do not participate much in cultural life. Museums‘ staff who work directly with visitors lack training in receiving visitors with special needs (Project „Meeting at a Museum“ evaluation, 2014-2015).
Nowadays, intersectoral collaboration is one of the core methods of facilitating effective social integration of excluded groups, creating conductive physical and social environment for individuals, contributing to decreasing health inequality, promoting accessibility of cultural services and encouraging society‘s participation in cultural processes. Other countries dedicate great attention to raising accessibility of culture and art services to people from socially excluded segments, and to research, however, in research conducted to evaluate museums‘ work in Lithuania accessibility of services to individuals from socially excluded groups has not yet been evaluated.
This research seeks to identify the attitudes of the Lithuanian art museums professionals, people living with disabilities and their representatives towards the current status of museums accessibility in Lithuania and aspects that influence participation of individuals from socially excluded segments of society in cultural activities.
Nowadays, intersectoral collaboration is one of the core methods of facilitating effective social integration of excluded groups, creating conductive physical and social environment for individuals, contributing to decreasing health inequality, promoting accessibility of cultural services and encouraging society‘s participation in cultural processes. Other countries dedicate great attention to raising accessibility of culture and art services to people from socially excluded segments, and to research, however, in research conducted to evaluate museums‘ work in Lithuania accessibility of services to individuals from socially excluded groups has not yet been evaluated.
This research seeks to identify the attitudes of the Lithuanian art museums professionals, people living with disabilities and their representatives towards the current status of museums accessibility in Lithuania and aspects that influence participation of individuals from socially excluded segments of society in cultural activities.
Research PurposE
To evaluate the accessibility of services provided by Lithuanian art museums to individuals from socially excluded groups.
Research Target Groups
Direct target group: Staff working in Lithuanian art museums; people with disabilities.
Indirect target group: Artists, cultural experts and operators who realise intersectoral collaboration activities between cultural, social security and healthcare sectors; wider society.
Indirect target group: Artists, cultural experts and operators who realise intersectoral collaboration activities between cultural, social security and healthcare sectors; wider society.
Expected Research Results
Applying quantitative and qualitative research methods, the project will evaluate the accessibility of services provided in Lithuanian art museums (further in the text LAM) to people from socially excluded groups.
This research, innovative in its methodology and focus on the issue of art accessibility to people from socially excluded groups in Lithuania, will provide new information about accessibility of cultural services in Lithuania. Recommendations that were prepared in the research based on the research findings and international experience (that of Scandinavian countries, the UK, and other), will contribute to the development of accessibility of services provided by LAM and improving their quality, as well as encourage discussion about the issue of effectiveness of LAM work in Lithuania.
The research and self-analysing instrument created in this projects will allow for evaluation of the accessibility of services provided by LAM and cultural sector organisations to people from socially excluded segments of society.
The project is due to be presented in the following events:
- International event ,,Accessible Arts: Museums, Communities and Socially Excluded Groups“, which will take place on on 14-15 June 2017 at the National Gallery of Art. More information about the event here.
- Practical Forum "Art for Social Change", March 29, 2018, the National Gallery of Art.
- Workshop-Discussion event „Accessible Museums: Research and Practice in Lithuania" at London Creativity and Well-being Week, June 4-10, 2018.
- Baltic Museology School Conference "Rethinking the Museum: Open up to New Voices", June 15, 2018, the Nacional M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum.
This research, innovative in its methodology and focus on the issue of art accessibility to people from socially excluded groups in Lithuania, will provide new information about accessibility of cultural services in Lithuania. Recommendations that were prepared in the research based on the research findings and international experience (that of Scandinavian countries, the UK, and other), will contribute to the development of accessibility of services provided by LAM and improving their quality, as well as encourage discussion about the issue of effectiveness of LAM work in Lithuania.
The research and self-analysing instrument created in this projects will allow for evaluation of the accessibility of services provided by LAM and cultural sector organisations to people from socially excluded segments of society.
The project is due to be presented in the following events:
- International event ,,Accessible Arts: Museums, Communities and Socially Excluded Groups“, which will take place on on 14-15 June 2017 at the National Gallery of Art. More information about the event here.
- Practical Forum "Art for Social Change", March 29, 2018, the National Gallery of Art.
- Workshop-Discussion event „Accessible Museums: Research and Practice in Lithuania" at London Creativity and Well-being Week, June 4-10, 2018.
- Baltic Museology School Conference "Rethinking the Museum: Open up to New Voices", June 15, 2018, the Nacional M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum.
Project partners:
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Project is partly supported by:
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