Highlights

Schedule at a Glance

Events are subject to change.  Please see the full schedule and agenda for details.

Capacity Building Workshops and Events

• Tuesday, August 11
  • Capacity Building Workshops - Times and topics listed below!

Conference

• Wednesday, August 12
  • Conference Sessions - 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM
• Thursday, August 13
  • Conference Sessions - 9 AM to 5:30 PM
• Friday, August 14
  • Conference Sessions - 9 AM to 5:30 PM

Capacity Building Workshops: Tuesday, August 11

These in-depth, standalone workshops cover a variety of topics. You can register for just capacity building sessions or add them on as a part of your main LEAD conference experience! Workshops are four or eight hours, so you can mix-and-match your morning and afternoon or spend the whole day immersed in a topic.

8:00 AM-12:00 PM Workshops

Accessibility Planning: The Key to Success

Registration Fee: $125.00 per person

In this half day session, participants will have the opportunity to understand the need for and how to develop a comprehensive ADA/Accessibility plan. Accessibility begins with policies and organizational buy-in from every department – from the Board of Directions to the house staff and ushers. Without a comprehensive plan, true accessibility is disjointed and difficult to achieve. This session will ask participants to look at each department of their organization and how those departments impact the access efforts of the organization. Sample plans will be provided to serve as framework for developing a comprehensive plan.

• John McEwen
  Executive Director
  New Jersey Theater Alliance
• Beth Prevor
  Executive Director
  Hands On Sign Interpreted Performances

Inclusive Employment: Practical Tips for Hiring & Supporting Employees with Disabilities

Registration Fee: $125.00 per person

Take a deep dive into inclusive hiring and support for employees with disabilities in this workshop. Participants will leave with practical perspectives, tips, tools, and resources. You will have a chance to review and write inclusive job posting and go over effective and accessible practices for interviewing. Learn about executive function challenges in the workplace and apply and discuss strategies for supporting yourself and your colleagues.

• Emma Allen
  Director of Operations
  Bell Museum
• Quána Madison
  Artist, Senior Educator & Community Engagement Specialist
  Clyfford Still Museum
• Kate Sigurdson
  Employee Experience Lead
  Bell Museum

Sensory Friendly and Relaxed Experiences: A Primer

Registration Fee: $125.00 per person

This workshop will introduce foundational background related to arts accessibility for neurodivergent individuals and groups. The session will focus on the diverse forms of engagement supporting choices and opportunities for neurodivergent individuals. The session will have small group activities to integrate knowledge with practice in generating examples for promoting accessibility and inclusion.

• Roger Ideishi
  Professor of Health, Human Function, and Rehabilitation Sciences
  George Washington University
• Ava X. Rigelhaupt
  Writer (PBS Kids Carl the Collector), Consultant, Public Speaker

9:00 AM-5:00 PM Workshops

Audio Description for Live Performance

Registration Fee: $250.00 per person

Learn the live-performance AD workflow: preshow notes, touch tours, script building, timing, delivery, teamwork, tech setup, and advocacy. Develop contextual preshow scripts, practice describing scenes, and use feedback to refine your work.

• Colleen Connor
  Co-Founder & Director of ADTR
• Bridget Melton
  ADTR Instructor & Freelance Audio Description Service Provider 
• Adrienne Livingston
  ADTR Consultant, Live AD & AD Voice Performer
•  Susannah Mars
  ADTR Moderator & Live Performance Audio Description Provider

Centering Accessibility in Emergency Planning: A Drill-Based Learning Lab

Registration Fee: $250.00 per person

This full-day, drill-based workshop reframes accessibility as the foundation of safety. Participants experience an emergency simulation, analyze real scenarios across arts sectors, and co-design inclusive response plans though a hackathon format. Leave with a ready-to-implement action plan and a new lens for resilience: access first, safety always. We will also prioritize emotional safety through Somatic work so participants can engage comfortably and without distress.

• Alexander Jones
  Woodland Park Zoo 
• Jessica Wallach
  Story Tapestries
• Mollie Quinlan-Hayes
  National Coalition for Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response

Developing Multisensory Strategies to Engage All Audiences

Registration Fee: $275.00 per person - includes boxed lunch

This workshop will introduce strategies to engage and connect with museum audiences through sensory experiences. Participants will practice choosing appropriate appropriate in different scenarios during small group work. After much discussion and hands-on practice, attendees will leave equipped with ideas and tools for implementing meaningful multisensory activities in the galleries, in the classroom, and in online spaces.

• Annie Leist
  Access Programs and Initiatives
  The Museum of Modern Art 
• Rebecca McGinnis
  Consultant

Peer Session for State Arts Agency & Regional Arts Organization Accessibility Coordinators 

Colleagues from state and territorial arts agencies and the six United States Regional Arts Organizations are invited to attend a full-day peer session to share effective practices and accessibility resources. Building strong connections through learning and camaraderie supports the ongoing improvements of access in your state or region.

Please note that this session is for SAAs and RAOs only.

All other Capacity Building Workshops are open to everyone.

10:00 AM-5:00 PM Workshops

Theory and Practice of Programming for People with Dementia and Their Caregivers

Registration Fee: $275.00 per person - includes boxed lunch

Experience the unique Arts & Minds approach to programming with and for people with dementia and their care partners, designed to enhance communication, reduce isolation and build community. We will share the foundations of our positive approach to dialogue and artmaking along with practical tips from over 15 years of experience. Whether you are thinking of starting a new program or looking for a refresher, you will find practical solutions and ideas to inspire you.

• Carolyn Halpin-Healy
  Executive Director
  Arts & Minds 
• Hollie Ecker
  Senior Educator
  Arts & Minds

1:30 PM-5:30 PM Workshops

Charting your Roadmap for Accessibility: Where are you on your journey?

Registration Fee: $125.00 per person

When planning for accessibility, often people don’t know where to start. Having a strategy in place will make it easier to move your organization along its accessibility journey. In this capacity building session, you will identify the accessibility stage your organization is in and then begin to build and operationalize the components of your accessibility strategy. There will be mini-lectures to frame each piece and opportunities to reflect and brainstorm with others in a similar stage.

• Elizabeth Ralston
  Accessibility Consultant
  Elizabeth Ralston Consulting, LLC
• Julie Simon
  Accessibility Consultant

Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Effective Staff Training

Registration Fee: $125.00 per person

Staff and volunteers are the public face of your institution. With proper training they can be enthusiastic and informed providers of excellent customer service. This “train the trainer” session will offer practical tools to create access-centered environments that are prepared for and responsive to a variety of patron / visitor experiences. This session will address strategies for maximizing training efforts, offer practical suggestions, supply sample training materials, and look at key components of thorough and effective training strategies.

• Diane Nutting
  Consultant
• Talleri McRae
  La Jolla Playhouse

Conference Highlights: Wednesday, August 12 through Friday, August 14

There's something for everyone during our 3-day main conference!  Here are some highlights of what to expect below. 

Foundations of Access Series

This series of introductory sessions are designed for those who are new on their accessibility journey or who have some gaps in foundational knowledge.  Registrants can opt to attend all or some of the sessions based on their interests and needs.

• Foundations of Access: Introduction to Accessibility Law
• Foundations of Access: The Built Environment
• Foundations of Access: For People who are Blind or Low Vision
• Foundations of Access: For People who are Deaf or have Hearing Loss
• Foundations of Access: Neurodiversity
• Foundations of Access: Programming for people with Dementia
• Foundations of Access: Digital Accessibility
• Foundations of Access: Priorities and Strategies

Beyond the Basics Series - New for LEAD 2026!

This new track dives deeper into advanced issues related to topics covered by the Foundations of Access. These sessions are designed for those who have some baseline experience in these areas or for anyone who wants to immerse themselves in a wide range of approaches and expertise. 

• Beyond the Basics: The Built Environment
• Beyond the Basics: For People who are Blind or Low Vision
• Beyond the Basics: For People who are Deaf or have Hearing Loss
• Beyond the Basics: Neurodiversity
• Beyond the Basics: Programming for people with Dementia
• Beyond the Basics: Digital Accessibility
• Beyond the Basics: Priorities and Strategies

Access Labs

These sessions are specifically designed for learning and practicing new skills that you can put into practice immediately. A series of topics will be offered throughout the conference.

Exhibit @ LEAD

August 12 - August 15

This is your opportunity to showcase your products, services, and resources to a targeted audience, make new connections with other disability service leaders, and build relationships with potential clients or partners in the field!

For rates and additional information please visit the Exhibit@LEAD page.