Seattle Cultural Accessibility Consortium

The journey for a blind or low-vision patron doesn’t start at the venue, it starts the moment they try to navigate your website, book a ticket, or arrange transportation.

Join SCAC on April 29 for a virtual Lunch and Learn exploring what it really takes for patrons with vision loss to feel genuinely welcome in our cultural spaces.

Hear directly from a panel of blind and low-vision arts patrons as they share first-hand experiences and practical insights on how organizations can better meet the needs of their community.

CART Captioning and ASL interpreters will be provided.

Learn more and register: https://www.seattlecac.org/

[id: White background with a large teal triangle in the bottom right corner. Text reads: Advancing Blind and Low-Vision Access in the Arts, Virtual Lunch & Learn April 29, 2026 12:00 – 1:15 pm, presented by: the Seattle Cultural Accessibility Consortium logo, which features four vertical bars of increasing height next to the organization's name.]

A big win for accessibility in Washington state: as of January 1, 2026, movie theaters must provide open caption screenings under the John Waldo Act.

This means captions appear directly on screen, no devices or batteries required. Large theater chains must offer at least 2 open caption screenings in the first two weeks of a film's release, including prime-time slots.

This groundbreaking legislation honors disability rights attorney John Waldo, whose advocacy made this possible. Washington joins Hawaii, Maryland, NYC, and D.C. in mandating accessible cinema.

Gratitude to Senator Tina Orwall, Governor Bob Ferguson, and all the advocates and community members who made this happen.

Open captions benefit everyone. Cinema should be for everyone. This is equity in action.

Change is coming to a movie theater near you Deaf or hard of hearing moviegoers will have more options at the multiplexes — and won't have to rely on closed caption devices.

This , meet Miles Schlagel, SCAC committee member and champion of accessible culture.

"As an arts administrator, I know how vital consistent and reliable support is. Monthly giving allows me to budget sustainably while helping SCAC assist organizations to plan for accessible, high-quality cultural experiences for everyone."

Miles joined our Monthly Giving Circle. Will you?

Monthly gifts of any amount provide the steady support we need to sustain accessibility programs, support disabled cultural leaders, and build long-term infrastructure.

Start a monthly gift today, or make a one-time contribution: https://www.poweredbyshunpike.org/c/PBS/a/SKCAC/donate/

[id: Text reads “Join our Monthly Giving Circle! “As an arts administrator, I know how vital consistent and reliable support is. Monthly giving allows me to budget sustainably while helping SCAC assist organizations to plan for accessible, high-quality cultural experiences for everyone.” - Miles Schlagel, with Miles’ headshot to the right. Below a button reads “Donate Today,” with the SCAC logo at bottom right.]

A huge thank you to the incredible organizations and individuals who are generously supporting Deep Dive Day 2025! Your support is an investment in a more accessible, equitable, and joyful future for all patrons in our cultural community.

Please join us in recognizing our amazing partners at the Catalyst, Connector, and Ally levels:
Catalyst Sponsor: Perazzoli Family
Connector Sponsors: Headwater People Consulting , Inspire Washington - Opening doors to Science, Heritage, and the Arts , Teal Sherer, Troy Coalman & John Jay Calabig

Ally Sponsor: Friends of Waterfront Park , Hearing Loss Association of America, Washington State Association, Henry Art Gallery, Joy Shigaki, Mark Root-Wiley, Michelle Banks, Mirror Stage, Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), and Jennifer Sharp

We look forward to connecting with everyone on October 16th at Town Hall Seattle!

[ID: The Deep Dive Day logo with the text "thank you to our sponsors!" Below a wavy line is the list of sponsors: "Catalyst Sponsor: Perazzoli Family. Connector: Headwater People Consulting, Inspire Washington, Teal Sherer, Troy P. Coalman & John Jay Calabig. Ally: Friends of Waterfront Park, Hearing Loss Association of Washington, Henry Art Gallery, Joy Shigaki, Mark Root-Wiley, MRW Web Design, Michelle Banks, Mirror Stage, Museum of History and Industry, SharpWritings."]