Abstract

Venue: The National Centre for craft & Design, Main Gallery.
Exhibition dates: 27th January - 23rd April 2017.
Inclusive design and curation of a non-permanent exhibition, focusing on people with sight loss.
Approximately two million people in the UK are registered blind or partially sighted. They mainly have partial vision or have lived most of their lives with vision, so have a visual memory. This research explores best practice in designing and curating an inclusive exhibition, with a focus on intellectual access for people with a visual impairment (which is mainly older people). A co-production meta-methodology was employed and the researcher collaborated with the National Centre for Craft & Design staff, people with a visual impairment, and RNIB and Age UK representatives. Multi-directional learning and mutual benefit for everyone involved was practiced. This approach promoted the cross transfer of experiences and skills, and valid information was steered into the insights and development of an inclusively designed and curated design exhibition on 3D printing. This technology's innovative, political, social and economic dimensions are explores, and visitors are asked for their opinions in the exhibition.