The need to improve access in the arts has been a key driver for the cultural sector over the last few years, with key regulators and funders such as the Charity Commission, Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund (to name just a few) all seeking to ensure that the arts, culture and heritage organisations that they support, authentically embed accessibility, diversity and inclusion.
But with the rise of Artificial Intelligence and the increased use of new technologies such as Augmented or Virtual Reality, it’s important to consider whether our move into the future is and will be truly inclusive. In using sophisticated tools and platforms, there is a real risk that charities might end up alienating specific groups of people.
So, who is already paving the way for digital inclusion in the sector and how can we ensure that we maintain inclusivity and accessibility when embedding new digital technologies?
Accessible AI and VR
Artificial Intelligence is already entrenched into our daily lives, whether we ask Google a question, get Alexa to play our favourite song, or try to find the fastest route home from work. More recently though, it has also become embedded in the cultural sector, with artists, museums, galleries and other cultural institutions making the most of technological advances to support their programmes, audience development and fundraising activities.
Looking internationally, the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam introduced an AI-powered chat bot to provide people with information about the life story of Anne Frank, alongside practical visitor information whilst in the museum, whilst the Carnegie Museum of Pittsburgh created a gamified chat bot to encourage visitors to ‘collect digital stamps’ as they move through the collections, and the Smithsonian in Washington created ‘Pepper’ – a humanoid robot that can talk to visitors in 21 languages.
In the UK, organisations such as the V&A and the Natural History Museum are using Virtual Reality to enhance their cultural offers and reach a wider audience. At the V&A, the team partnered with HTC Vive Arts to create an immersive exhibition called ‘Curious Alice’, whilst the Natural History Museum is using virtual reality to: provide unprecedented access to the Museum’s most precious specimens.”
Each of these examples showcase organisations that have sought to make the visitor experience more inclusive and immersive by widening access to their experiences. When many people often view museums as ‘stuffy, traditional spaces’ integrating these new technologies can offer innovation and excitement.
But what about the barriers?
However, if we are putting the future of cultural engagement in the hands of a smart phone, are we preventing those who prefer a more organic trip to a museum from reaping its benefits?
Whilst it’s a well-known fact that many older people aren’t online, it is becoming increasingly understood that the issue spans far beyond this.
26% of young people don’t have access to a laptop or similar device and 1 in 5 children who were home-schooled during the pandemic struggled to join the ‘virtual classroom’ because they lacked the right technology. Therefore, the use of AI in cultural organisations could lead to greater inequality, excluding the very audiences that represent the future success and sustainability for the UK cultural sector.
So how can we ensure inclusivity when using new technologies?
- Ensure Authenticity – the use of technology should enhance creative output and an organisation’s relationships with its audiences, rather than overshadow them. We need to ensure that we maintain direct, human connections, and we don’t want to compromise our creativity as a result. Therefore, consider where the use of AI or other technologies can complement your existing work, whilst maintaining and developing direct human connection in other areas.
- Consider Your Audience – ask yourself who you typically engage and who do you want to engage? If either answer involves a diverse audience that comprises individuals from different wealth levels, different ages or different abilities, then consider how your use of technology might impact them and how you will need to consult and adapt to include all key audiences.
- Consult with Your Communities – before investing in digital, it is essential to speak to your existing audiences to understand if embedding digital will be of value to them. By discussing the opportunities with your communities, or even working with them to test the model first, you will be able to review all possible barriers to inclusion and develop a plan to ensure accessibility.
- Consider AI for accessible means – if you want to use the latest technologies, consider looking at how the technology could enhance your inclusive practice. Sites such as Sign Speak and ai utilise AI to translate sign language into spoken word, whilst tools such as Runway and EagleEyes can be used to help artists with physical disabilities to create workmore easily. Other platforms, such as the Google Arts and Culture App can help bring exhibitions and experiences to those not able to visit a space in-person, making the art more physically accessible for all.