The Ikouii Creative
About
Ikouii is committed to providing opportunities and support for artists with disabilities as well as transforming cultural institutions into an engaging and meaningful space for all visitors of various disabilities.
The Ikouii Creative is committed to transforming cultural institutions into an engaging and meaningful space for all audiences of various disabilities. Ikouii assists cultural institutions in building a more inclusive environment by providing audits, training, consultancy, and inclusive programming design. In providing more accessibility to audiences of various disabilities, cultural institutions enrich their offerings and access to their collections, buildings, programs, and services to better serve and reach all audiences.
Ikouii develops opportunities and support for artists with disabilities. By giving artists with disabilities a platform to exhibit, improve artistic practice, and gain exposure. The Ikouii Creative serves artists worldwide, in countries including the United States, Canada, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Israel, and India. The organization offers a diverse spectrum of exhibitions, events, and programs to amplify its impact in the arts sector.
The Ikouii Creative Initiative provides cultural institutions with innovative tools and training to allow their museum or gallery space to be more comfortable and enjoyable for audiences with disabilities and their families. This initiative creates a comprehensive welcoming structure for individuals with varying abilities through the following initiatives:
- Specialized accessibility and inclusion training for staff
- Accessibility tools for individuals with disabilities in cultural institutions
- Specialized inclusive programming design for cultural institutions
MISSION
The Ikouii Creative will promote inclusive practices, knowledge, and support, to ensure that individuals with disabilities have enriching experiences in arts and cultural institutions and opportunities for creative expression as artists, leaders, and audiences.
Five principles guide The Ikouii Creative programs and affiliates:
- Artists with a disability deserve equal opportunity to showcase artwork
- All individuals with a disability deserve access to quality arts and culture experiences.
- All arts and cultural institutions should be prepared to include audiences with disabilities.
- All children, youth, and adults with disabilities should have complete access to cultural facilities and programming.
- All individuals with disabilities who aspire to careers in the arts should have the opportunity to develop appropriate skills.
HOW IKOUII HELPS
Research has shown that even the most severely disabled can, through their senses appreciate the joys of art. Exposure to the arts has a tremendous positive impact on the mental and developmental state of every individual. Yet all too often individuals with disabilities are shortchanged of this life enrichment when they do not have access. The loss of art exposure is especially stifling for individuals with disabilities. By providing inclusive accessibility in cultural institutions and opportunities for artists with disabilities, Ikouii is playing an instrumental role in increasing access to the benefits of arts enrichment for all individuals.
OUR BELIEFS
We believe access and exposure to the arts and culture is a fundamental right of all people. Everyone has the right of access to cultural heritage, and museums need to promote equal access and to ensure a welcoming and friendly atmosphere to inspire visitors regardless of personal circumstances. Museums and galleries can provide safe, dynamic learning environments that contribute positively to the quality of life of all individuals regardless of physical, intellectual, and social barriers. Improving access cultural institutions, while incorporating inclusion and diversity, involves using creative ideas to tackle disability related barriers that prevent individuals from an immersive experience.