When the National Art Gallery Committee(NAGC) conceptualized the Bridgetown Whisperpost project, one of the most exciting features of the programme was that for the first time the rich artistic world of Barbados would become accessible and inclusive of the Blind and visually impaired members of the community.
In the 80’s, the British art society began a project “living paintings”. This programme was an attempt to bring works of art in the United Kingdom to life for the blind. It was a chance for the blind to interact with paintings in a new way. Instead of relying on the descriptive powers of persons who accompanied them, paintings were given both tactile representation and an audio description. For the first time, art became a more real experience for the blind and this project has continued in various forms over the years, expanding to include different interpretations both in the United Kingdom and the United States. Until now, Barbados was unable to emulate this particular form of bringing visual art to the blind and visually impaired.
On approaching the Barbados Council for the Disabled, the NAGC explained that recognizing that most of their programmes thus far have been of a “visual” nature, they were extremely pleased to include persons with disabilities in the new project. The project presented eighteen locations around Bridgetown which all hold some significance in the historical life of Barbados. From the Sweetie Lady” to the Jubilee gardens; enthusiasts were treated to realistic audio representations of what life was like back then.
What set this programme apart from others was that each post along the path had a phone number associated with it. Once dialed, a pre-recorded segment gave background on the spot and its significance in the Barbados of yesteryear. The NAGC went even further and ensured that copies of the pamphlet giving the background to the project were reproduced in accessible formats for the blind/visually impaired.
On the 19th of May, the zenith of the project was reached with a guided tour arranged specifically for the members of this select part of the community. It was a cheerful enthusiastic group of persons that set off on the Saturday evening trek from the Waterfront café and ending some two hours later with much education being shared on both sides. Not only did the tour party gain a wealth of knowledge about the city we all take for granted, but the representatives of the National Art Gallery had many of their myths debunked and replaced with solid fact about interacting with the blind and visually impaired.
This project is an exceedingly heartening and uplifting triumph for the Council and its members. It means so much more than just art to us. It means that little by little, our message of inclusion is reaching the wider community. As organizations and individuals begin to embrace the community of persons with disabilities, not as a “special” group with more needs, but as a people with value and a contribution to make.
The council takes this opportunity to publicly congratulate the National Arts Gallery committee for taking these bold and imaginative steps; we hope to see many more projects of a similar nature taking up the challenge to bring our rich and varied culture in to the lives of “all” Barbadians and visitors.
