Exploring how accessible cultural practices impact on community development: The case of InclusivOpera at the Macerata Opera Festival in Italy

ABSTRACT

The growing importance of inclusion for community development cannot be overcome, especially in areas characterized by cultural clashes, economic disparity, and urban marginalization. In this perspective improving community exposure to the arts and extending the access to cultural programs might play an important role. Arts accessibility might magnify important impacts on the community such as the (re)interpretation of the value of diversity, the enhancement of individual capacities through creativity, the empowerment of citizens’ political and democratic participation, and the reinforcement of the sense of belonging of a community. On these grounds, the aim of our article is to describe and discuss what arts accessibility is and how the adoption of inclusive practices by arts institutions might improve community development programs. We also present a case study, the InclusivOpera project at the Macerata Opera Festival (MOF) in Italy, which stands as a critical case to understand how arts accessibility might trigger community development processes.

Keywords:

• community development
• arts accessibility
• inclusive practices
• InclusivOpera
• Macerata Opera Festival

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. https://www.who.int/health-topics/disability#tab=tab_1 (last visited 16.08.2021).

2. Definition of community development given by United Nations, UNTERM (2014).

3. https://www.zorrotzaurre.com/en/

4. https://www.frogdesign.com/designmind/inclusive-design (last visited 21.08.21).

5. All tours are free and available for up to 35 people, while tickets for the performances are available at a reduced rate.

6. Tactile explorations are structured around three main steps: first, visitors read the braille lettering on the top of the map/drawing; then, they familiarize themselves with the overall map/drawing by quickly touching the whole surface; finally, they focus on each element of the map/drawing, going from general elements to particular ones, and vice versa.

7. The aim of Opera Domani, within the framework of the Opera Education project, is to educate children and young adults from 6 to 14 years of age and to enhance their enjoyment of opera at all levels. For further information, see https://www.operaeducation.org/it/progetti/opera-domani/.