The Art Beyond Sight Collaborative includes community-based groups and local affiliates of national agencies, museums and other arts-related organizations, elementary and high schools, colleges and universities, national and international advocacy groups, and blind, visually impaired, and sighted art enthusiasts.
Source: Art Beyond Sight
Art Resources
This section lists resources relating to the arts. These include information about accessibility and cultural programs, visiting museums or other spaces, and about how people who are blind or visually impaired create and share their works and art.
Ideas for hands-on art activities for students who are blind or visually impaired, including paper, metal, string/yarn, beads/braids, wood, soap carving, and more.
Source: Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI)Hands-on ideas for craft projects to increase tactile discrimination and fine motor skills. Search for holiday themes and tips on materials.
Source: Paths to LiteracyYour vision may have changed, but it's unlikely your imagination has! Simple everyday arts and crafts can be inspired by any product, any experience, at any time. Here are some ideas to try if you are blind or have low vision.
Source: Vision AwareBrowse braille designs, some of which have step-by-step-instructions to create your own braille drawing, and some of which are files ready to be embossed. Includes guidelines to create your own braille design from scratch.
Source: Paths to LiteracyInstructional strategies for teaching dance to students who are blind or visually impaired, including a list of movement skills
Source: Teaching Students with Visual ImpairmentsAuthor Mana Hashimoto is passionate about improving access to dance performance and dance education for individuals who are blind or who have low vision.
Source: Future Reflections (NFB)Dancing Dots offers technology, educational resources and training to assist individuals who are blind or visually impaired to read, write, and record their music.
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) hosts a number of webinars on making the fine arts accessible to students who are blind or visually impaired, including the following: Visual Art for the Visually Impaired: Infusing art instruction into early literacy; Visual Arts and the Expanded Core Curriculum; Visual Arts for the Visually Impaired: Drawing for Blind Students - Tools and Techniques; Visual Arts for the Visually Impaired: Drawing with the Perkins Brailler; Visual Arts for the Visually Impaired: Theater Arts.
Source: Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI)The joys of woodworking. Includes safety tips.
Source: Vision AwareThis handbook presents a step-by-step process for creating an accessible arts program for people with visual impairments. Each module contains an overview, practical considerations, agendas, checklists, troubleshooting tips and funding strategies.
Source: Art Beyond Sight CollaborativeA music therapist from Perkins School for the Blind describes the benefits of music as an auditory experience, a method of communication, and as a facilitator for social interaction and connection.
Source: Family ConnectTwo pages from this website offer strategies and resources for teaching music to students with visual impairments: Music Adaptations for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired and Music & Movement for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired.
Source: Teaching Students with Visual ImpairmentsBANA offers the Music Braille Code (2015) as a free download in two electronic versions: PDF and BRF.
Source: Braille Authority of North America (BANA)Music for the Blind offers music lessons through downloadable (or tape/CD) lessons for more than a dozen instruments, all by ear. Many of the lessons are available through the National Library Service program.
Source: Music for the BlindThis article outlines four traits that are helpful for a student with visual impairments to have when learning to play a musical instrument: a good ear, good coordination, the ability to concentrate, and most importantly, a great deal of motivation. Some of these traits can be developed, but motivation can not be taught.
Source: Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI)The NLS music collection includes braille and large-print musical scores, recorded instructional materials, and recorded materials about music and musicians. All materials are circulated postage free, and some digital audio and ebraille materials are available for download over the Internet.
Source: The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS)A listing of theaters in the United States that offer audio description
Source: American Council of the Blind Audio Description ProjectAustralia's national program for the blindness community is available to the world! Listen live or subscribe through this programming page.
Source: Vision Australia RadioThis webinar is part of an ongoing series addressing accommodations and strategies for making art accessible for students with visual impairment. In this session Robert Pierson, Theater Arts teacher at TSBVI, shares his experiences and insight regarding methods for effective inclusion of students with visual impairments in dramatic productions, as well as the positive outcomes that can result from their participation.
Source: Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI)