Cultural friends event on 15 November at the Turku Art Museum

The Capital of Culture year has increased the accessibility of culture

The accessibility of the Turku Capital of Culture programme has been supported, among other things, by improving the accessibility of the event locations and arranging interpretations and assistants. On Tuesday 15 November, volunteers will take elderly persons to explore the Carl Larsson exhibition.

The Turku 2011 Foundation will organise an event on 15 November at 11 am in co-operation with the Turku Art Museum, ILOA! Action, Turun Lähimmäispalveluyhdistys Association, Turun Seudun Vanhustuki Association and Centre for Assistance Services, where volunteers from each organisation along with cultural friends will take elderly persons to see the Carl Larsson exhibition.

This operations model is part of the Cultural Friend project endorsed by the Ministry of Education and Culture, where trained volunteers ensure safe cultural visits for elderly persons from their home to the destination and back again as well as perform some light assisting tasks when necessary.

The Turku Art Museum, Forum Marinum, Logomo’s Fire! Fire! exhibition, and Turku City Theatre participate in the cultural friend activities in Turku during the pilot year. These cultural destinations offer free entrance for the cultural friends. On the event day of 15 November, the Turku Art Museum also offers free entrance to those participating elderly persons who have been invited.

Active actions for accessibility

Turku was one of the four finalists in the Access City Award competition (2010) organised by the European Union. Active measures in implementing accessibility in Turku have also been emphasised during the Capital of Culture year.

Separate trainings have been organised on the topic in connection with the Turku 2011 programme projects. The projects have been able to borrow accessories from the Turku 2011 Foundation to improve the accessibility of the facilities, such as ramps and induction loops.

Accessibility volunteers have been working at Logomo and at various events serving as assistants in the accessible auditoriums of major outdoor events, among others. In addition, sign language interpretations and written and descriptive interpretations have been arranged for the Capital of Culture year programme.