There have been many positive things happening behind the scenes at The Mansfield Art Center (MAC) as we work towards future goals for our nonprofit organization, and we are thrilled to share the news that the MAC Accessibility Initiative will be moving forward thanks to a grant from various funds at The Richland County Foundation and the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. This support will allow us to make much needed ADA updates to our historic building that will improve accessibility for all visitors. The MAC staff and Board would like to express our deepest gratitude to The Richland County Foundation and to the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission for not only making the grant funds possible, but for working with us to make these changes possible for our community.

As our number of annual visitors increased to 60,000, and we continue to partner with local schools and organizations, it has become abundantly clear that there is a need to focus on accessibility improvements. While the MAC team makes every effort to welcome and provide support to every visitor, our building limitations bring daily challenges. The barriers of our original building and gallery space are a contrast to the newly built Education Wing that was designed with accessibility at the forefront. We are excited to bring about changes in not only our building, but also our equity statement, our website, and our objectives for what’s ahead. With continued growth and development at The MAC, we hope to deliver even more to our mission of making Art accessible to all, and providing engaging experiences to everyone that comes through our doors.

Work will begin in the spring of 2024 and will include: automating the doors at the front and side entrances, a new ADA compliant drinking fountain, restroom updates, portable gallery seating, and changes to the elevator hallways and controls. In addition to these much needed changes a designated staff member will complete Accessibility Coordinator Certification through the ADA. The MAC will collaborate with our local ADA Network, The National Foundation for the Blind, and other organizations for continued input, and to form an Access Committee for our organization. We will work to ensure that the website and all areas of communication are accessible to all, and provide additional support tools to meet the needs of our visitors. An Accessibility Guide and Accessibility Statement will be created that clearly communicates our available accommodations. Our commitment as an organization is to deliver to these goals, and continue to evolve as needed.

We look forward to starting the initial phases of this work, and have applied for the remaining funds necessary to complete the full scope of the initiative. If you would like to make a donation to support the ADA Accessibility updates, please call or stop by The Mansfield Art Center, or visit our website (mansfieldartcenter.org, donate, MAC Accessibility Initiative).

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