Christena Gunther is the founder and steering committee co-chair of the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium which was honored with a Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability Emerging Leader Award in 2015. Christena speaks nationally and internationally about cultural accessibility, and is a strong advocate for the importance of establishing a local access knowledge network in one’s own community. We sat down for a Q&A with Christena about the benefits she has seen working with the cultural community in Chicago, Illinois. 

2017-2019 CCAC Steering Committee at their first fundraiser in May 2019 at Lagunitas Brewery. Pictured from left to right: Anna Cosner, Evan Hatfield, Christena Gunther, Hillary Pearson, Alyssa Harsha, Brittany Pyle, Matt Bivins, Risa Jaz Rifkind, Rachel Arfa, Lynn Walsh, Jeanna Rathell (and baby Frankie), Kris Nesbitt. Missing from photo: Steering Committee member Mike Shaw.

Q: What is the origin story of the Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium (CCAC)?
A: CCAC was founded in 2013. Our mission is to empower Chicago’s cultural spaces to become more accessible to visitors with disabilities.

After I moved to Chicago from New York City, New York, I was looking to join a network similar to Museum Access Consortium (MAC) in New York City. When I discovered there was no group like that in Chicago, I decided to create a Chicago version. I was fortunate to have crossed paths with Evan Hatfield and Lynn Walsh early on so they could help this idea grow and flourish. 

The three of us had experienced the LEAD conference before, and wanted to bring the support and education we received at LEAD once a year to Chicago on a regular basis. We knew that for increased access and inclusion in museums and theaters, we would need to have a positive approach to change. In the beginning there weren’t many “experts” in Chicago, just ourselves with some experience, but we certainly did not consider ourselves the “experts.” Ourselves and other CCAC Steering Committee members would share at professional development workshops what other institutions outside of Chicago do to better welcome and include all visitors. As more and more institutions began to offer accessible programming, we then had more content experts who could share their experiences. 

We strive to include perspectives from guests with disabilities themselves, which is the most powerful way to make the case that access and inclusion is vital.

Q: How do institutions get involved with CCAC?
A: When we started out, we would invite different colleagues we knew to join us for our professional development opportunities, and then invite them to bring a friend. We’d reach out to different professional networks, such as League of Chicago Theatres, Chicago Hands-On Museum Educators, and Chicago Museum Exhibitors Group to share with their groups. 

From the beginning, we built a list-serv so that people could join and learn more about access in cultural spaces, which was a way we could promote CCAC events and offerings, too. We now have over 1,000 email addresses on our listserv! At this point through word-of-mouth primarily people learn about our workshops, Access Calendar, CCAC & Steppenwolf Equipment Loan Program and network. 

Q: You provide equipment rentals and professional development services to local cultural institutions? 
A: In addition, we also maintain an Access Calendar that lists accessible performances and programs across the Chicago region.

Q: Most knowledge-networks are a consortium of organizations, but CCAC is more of an independent community partner. What do you think are the benefits of having this centralized organization? 
A: Many of the volunteers involved with the planning of CCAC offerings through the CCAC Steering Committee represent different cultural organizations, but we put on a “CCAC hat.” This can help to remove some of the politics and bureaucracy that exists in our own cultural organizations, especially when it comes to accessibility and inclusion efforts. We can have the focus be on best practices rather than our own institution’s successes or shortcomings.

Q: Can you give a brief overview of how CCAC and your offerings have changed as the community has grown?
A: When we started, the intention was to provide professional development workshops on a regular basis and maintain the list-serv and a social media presence. We grew a lot in 2014 thanks to the LEAD conference being in Chicago, and in 2015 thanks to ADA 25 Chicago. Through ADA 25 Chicago, we were able to create the CCAC Access Calendar and a more professional website with resources. A year later, we developed the CCAC & Steppenwolf Accessible Equipment Loan Program that helped make access possible for organizations not able to purchase their own accessible equipment. 

In 2018 we incorporated as a nonprofit and have begun fundraising efforts; we remain staffed by volunteers. What I love most about CCAC is how welcoming and encouraging our community is to one another. The competition that may exist between our organizations for ticket sales or attendance goes out the window when we’re talking about inclusion for all guests. That’s powerful!

Q: How have you seen organizations grow their offerings outside of what CCAC is able to offer them? 
A: CCAC was and is intended to facilitate organizations’ growth and knowledge of accessibility and inclusion. As returning CCAC attendees learn and grow, they in turn share their knowledge and experiences with new attendees. In our professional development workshops we are able to tackle more “advanced” topics and challenge our more experienced cultural administrators to continue to build and grow accessibility in their organization.

We’re stronger when we work together. We often say that we’re at different points on our access journey, but we’re all in it together.

Q: What are other benefits to having a knowledge network of organizations?
A: Beginning accessibility and inclusion efforts can feel so daunting and isolating. To meet other people engaged in this work and learn from each other, celebrating the joys and learning from the challenges is critical to sustaining and growing accessibility efforts.

As more and more organizations provide more accessibility offerings, it’s motivating to see audience members discover they have more choice in what they can participate in and how they participate! Just as cultural administrators have learned and grown in cultural accessibility possibilities, so have our audiences!

Photo courtesy of Christena Gunther