FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 8, 2014, KLEINBURG ON – On Friday, August 8, 2014, the McMichael Canadian Art Collection will release a document entitled The Art of Inclusion: Seven Steps – A Guide to Developing and Delivering Accessible and Inclusive Programs within Arts and Cultural Organizations, a new industry guideline based on the results of the gallery’s EnAbling Change Project with the Government of Ontario. The two-year project revolved around two key priorities: developing and implementing inclusive art programs in an environment that directly supports individuals’ needs, and producing a guide based on those experiences.

 

The Art of Inclusion and its seven-step process—a nod to the Group of Seven painters—will assist other arts and culture organizations in developing and implementing their own accessible initiatives, and demonstrate the overall benefits of engaging visitors through specialized programs.

The McMichael currently offers programs for children, youth, adults, and seniors with a variety of special needs and accessibility challenges, and provides them with opportunities to learn, grow, and communicate through engagement with the gallery, its collection, and the surrounding landscape. The McMichael’s accessible programs are based on the concept of creative learning, which promotes hands-on engagement, collaboration, social interaction, and play, and relies both on specialized facilities and instruction.

The EnAbling Change Project was supported by the Government of Ontario.

Visit mcmichael.com to learn more about the gallery’s accessible programs.

About the McMichael Canadian Art Collection

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an agency of the Government of Ontario and acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and the McMichael Canadian Art Foundation. It is the foremost venue in the country showcasing the Group of Seven and their contemporaries. In addition to touring exhibitions, its permanent collection consists of almost 6,000 artworks by Canadian artists, including paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, as well as First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists. The gallery is located on 100 acres of northern landscape and hiking trails at 10365 Islington Avenue, Kleinburg, north of Major Mackenzie Drive in the City of Vaughan. For more information: mcmichael.com

 

For media inquiries:

 

Wendy Campbell

Manager, Media Relations and Online Presence

McMichael Canadian Art Collection

905.893.1121 ext. 2201

wcampbell@mcmichael.com

Rachel Weiner

Media Relations and Communications Coordinator

McMichael Canadian Art Collection

905.893.1121 ext. 2210

rweiner@mcmichael.com