Page 16 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 10(2) (2022)
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dia universitatis her editati, letnik 10 (2022), številk a 2 / volume 10 (2022), number 2 16Appreciating heritage becomes morepeople with learning difficulties (EBU 2012, 16;
complex when dealing with special audienc- EFHU 2010). The barriers aforementioned per-
hereditaties. According to the European Blind Union, sist even though the EU is signatory to the UN
30.000,000 visually impaired individuals and Convention on the Rights of People with Dis-
4.4 million adults with a disabling hearing loss abilities in force since 2011, according to which
live in the EU and these audiences are often ex- the EU shall ensure the implementation of all
cluded from experiencing arts and culture due to rights for all people with disabilities through
the barrier’s society places on them (EBU 2022a, the adoption of new legislation, policies and pro-
EBU 2022b, hear-it 2022). Disabled people still grammers and the review of existing ones (Unit-
face preventable barriers in accessing arts and ed Nations 2022). Article 30 enshrines the right
cultural events, including transportation issues, of people with special needs to participate in cul-
price of tickets, lack of information and sup- tural life and have access to cultural materials in
port at venues. People with disabilities can face accessible formats, AV productions and services,
particular barriers owing to the inaccessibili- as well as performances, films, theatre and other
ty of cultural premises, venues or content. Peo- cultural activities in accessible formats; as well as
ple in wheelchairs cannot attend a concert if the libraries and tourism services. Article 30 encour-
only way into the hall is the staircase; blind peo- ages signatories to take all appropriate measures
ple cannot appreciate exhibits in a museum if to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy a)
there are no descriptions in accessible audio or access to cultural materials in accessible formats;
electronic format or in Braille print; and a deaf b) TV programmes, films, theatre and other cul-
person cannot enjoy a film in a cinema if there tural activities, in accessible formats and c) ac-
is no subtitling or sign language interpretation. cess places for cultural performances or servic-
According to the last Eurostat survey conduct- es, such as theatres, museums, cinemas, libraries
ed in 2011, one in seven people between the ages and tourism services, and, as far as possible, en-
of 15 and 64 has difficulties with basic activities, joy access to monuments and sites of national
such as walking (4.2 % of women, 3.4 % of men), cultural importance. To this end, it is necessary
seeing (2.1 % of women, 1.8 % of men) or hear- to ensure that laws protecting intellectual prop-
ing (1 % of women, 1.3 % of men and just 1 %-5 erty rights do not constitute an unreasonable or
% of literature is accessible to blind and visual- discriminatory barrier to access by persons with
ly impaired people (Pasikowska-Schnass 2019, disabilities to cultural materials. The Marrakesh
2). These three categories (blind and partially Treaty, in force since 2019 in the EU, sets man-
sighted people (estimated at 30 million); wheel- datory limitations and exceptions to intellectu-
chair users (estimated at 5 million) and deaf peo- al property rights for the benefit of the blind,
ple (750 000 sign-language users according to visually impaired and otherwise print disabled
the European Union of the Deaf) constitute al- (World Intellectual Property Organization
most half the whole population of people with 2016). Following the trends, in March 2019 was
disabilities. In sum, the cultural needs of audi- launched the European Accessibility Act, an EU
ences with special needs are often considered directive, which sets out rules on products and
separately from other groups of people and of- services accessible to people with disabilities and
ten after organizations launch their events to functional limitations, including electronic de-
the public (Shape Institute 2013). The European vices, websites and audio-visual media services.
Blind Union (EBU) conducted a survey on ac- The European Federation of Hard Hearing Peo-
cess to culture in 2012: the results revealed that ple (EFHOH) has produced accessibility guide-
people with visual disabilities have poor access lines and the European Blind Union (EBU) has
to culture and that little had been done across produced a good practice guide for the accessi-
the EU to facilitate museum access for the blind, bility in sites and museums; both documents are
partially-sighted, deaf or hard of hearing, or for considered by the AD HOC Project in its uni-
complex when dealing with special audienc- EFHU 2010). The barriers aforementioned per-
hereditaties. According to the European Blind Union, sist even though the EU is signatory to the UN
30.000,000 visually impaired individuals and Convention on the Rights of People with Dis-
4.4 million adults with a disabling hearing loss abilities in force since 2011, according to which
live in the EU and these audiences are often ex- the EU shall ensure the implementation of all
cluded from experiencing arts and culture due to rights for all people with disabilities through
the barrier’s society places on them (EBU 2022a, the adoption of new legislation, policies and pro-
EBU 2022b, hear-it 2022). Disabled people still grammers and the review of existing ones (Unit-
face preventable barriers in accessing arts and ed Nations 2022). Article 30 enshrines the right
cultural events, including transportation issues, of people with special needs to participate in cul-
price of tickets, lack of information and sup- tural life and have access to cultural materials in
port at venues. People with disabilities can face accessible formats, AV productions and services,
particular barriers owing to the inaccessibili- as well as performances, films, theatre and other
ty of cultural premises, venues or content. Peo- cultural activities in accessible formats; as well as
ple in wheelchairs cannot attend a concert if the libraries and tourism services. Article 30 encour-
only way into the hall is the staircase; blind peo- ages signatories to take all appropriate measures
ple cannot appreciate exhibits in a museum if to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy a)
there are no descriptions in accessible audio or access to cultural materials in accessible formats;
electronic format or in Braille print; and a deaf b) TV programmes, films, theatre and other cul-
person cannot enjoy a film in a cinema if there tural activities, in accessible formats and c) ac-
is no subtitling or sign language interpretation. cess places for cultural performances or servic-
According to the last Eurostat survey conduct- es, such as theatres, museums, cinemas, libraries
ed in 2011, one in seven people between the ages and tourism services, and, as far as possible, en-
of 15 and 64 has difficulties with basic activities, joy access to monuments and sites of national
such as walking (4.2 % of women, 3.4 % of men), cultural importance. To this end, it is necessary
seeing (2.1 % of women, 1.8 % of men) or hear- to ensure that laws protecting intellectual prop-
ing (1 % of women, 1.3 % of men and just 1 %-5 erty rights do not constitute an unreasonable or
% of literature is accessible to blind and visual- discriminatory barrier to access by persons with
ly impaired people (Pasikowska-Schnass 2019, disabilities to cultural materials. The Marrakesh
2). These three categories (blind and partially Treaty, in force since 2019 in the EU, sets man-
sighted people (estimated at 30 million); wheel- datory limitations and exceptions to intellectu-
chair users (estimated at 5 million) and deaf peo- al property rights for the benefit of the blind,
ple (750 000 sign-language users according to visually impaired and otherwise print disabled
the European Union of the Deaf) constitute al- (World Intellectual Property Organization
most half the whole population of people with 2016). Following the trends, in March 2019 was
disabilities. In sum, the cultural needs of audi- launched the European Accessibility Act, an EU
ences with special needs are often considered directive, which sets out rules on products and
separately from other groups of people and of- services accessible to people with disabilities and
ten after organizations launch their events to functional limitations, including electronic de-
the public (Shape Institute 2013). The European vices, websites and audio-visual media services.
Blind Union (EBU) conducted a survey on ac- The European Federation of Hard Hearing Peo-
cess to culture in 2012: the results revealed that ple (EFHOH) has produced accessibility guide-
people with visual disabilities have poor access lines and the European Blind Union (EBU) has
to culture and that little had been done across produced a good practice guide for the accessi-
the EU to facilitate museum access for the blind, bility in sites and museums; both documents are
partially-sighted, deaf or hard of hearing, or for considered by the AD HOC Project in its uni-
