ADA/Accessibility Resources & Links for Cultural Organizations

The Miami-Dade County Depatment of Cultural Affairs recognizes that the issues surrounding ADA accessibility are complex. When organizations apply to the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs for a grant, they must certify that they will comply with certain federal nondiscrimination laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

The following information and resources are provided to help raise awareness of the various issues with which cultural organizations should be familiar. We encourage organizations to contact us for further assistance regarding any of these issues.

You can also learn more about what is required under the ADA for cultural organizations and how you can get grant funding to pay for it by attending an Audience Access (AUD) grant workshop.

Click here to RSVP to attend an AUD grant workshop.

What is the ADA?*

(*It’s not a person, place or group.)

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a Federal civil rights law that provides protections to individuals with disabilities like those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion.

The ADA guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, State and local government services, public accommodations, telecommunications, and transportation.

Organizations presenting programs to the public and receiving Miami-Dade County grant funds are subject to both Title II** and Title III*** of the ADA, which require effective communication and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities to attend and participate in funded programs open to the public.

Section 504

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and requires federal agencies and any organization that receives federal funding to make its programs and activities accessible to people with disabilities.

**Title II—State and Local Government

Requires that all state and local governments (their departments and agencies) give people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all of their public programs, activities and services (e.g., public education, employment, transportation, recreation, health care, social services, courts, voting and town meetings).

***Title III—Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Organizations

Requires places of public accommodation to meet architectural accessibility standards for new and altered buildings and remove barriers in existing buildings where such removal is readily achievable; make reasonable modifications to policies, practices and procedures; provide effective communication mechanisms for people with disabilities; and other access requirements.

Helpful resources and links:

Access Statements

Access Training / Consulting / Facilitators:

Access Training / Technical Assistance:

Accessibility Consultant / Architect:

ADA and the Arts, PowerPoint by Heidi Johnson-Wright, Miami-Dade County Director of ADA Coordination

ADA.gov Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter Services