The art world has a long history of systemic racism, exploitation, and exclusion of marginalized groups. Variable West hopes to make a measurable change in these trends by requiring all event listings to include information about their event’s and organization’s diversity and accessibility features. This is a living list that will change as language trends change in the hopes of being more precise, more inclusive, and better serving our extraordinary community.
Please contact us at hello@variablewest.com if there is a term we missed!
Diversity
Women-owned: the organization has one or more female-identified owners.
Women-curated: the exhibition or event was curated or organized by one or more female-identified individuals.
Women artist(s): the exhibition or event includes one or more female-identified individuals.
BIPOC: an imperfect term that stands for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Read more here.
BIPOC-owned: the organization has one or more BIPOC owners.
BIPOC-curated: the exhibition or event was curated or organized by one or more BIPOC individuals.
BIPOC artist(s): the exhibition or event includes one or more BIPOC artists.
LGBTQIA+: another imperfect term that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and every other non-heteronormative gender identity. Read more here.
LGBTQIA+-owned: the organization has one or more LGBTQIA+ owners.
LGBTQIA+-curated: the exhibition or event was curated or organized by one or more LGBTQIA+ individuals
LGBTQIA+ artist(s): the exhibition or event includes one or more LGBTQIA+ artists.
A note on pronoun usage: we encourage organizations to ensure they’re using the pronouns each individual identifies with. This is a way to respect every individual’s personal identity and experience without making assumptions based on their appearance or name. Read more here.
Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible: exhibitions or events fulfill the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines for wheelchair access in Public Accommodations and Commercial Facilities. Read more here.
Sensory-friendly: exhibition or event features catered to individuals with Autism or other developmental disabilities who can experience sensory overload.
ASL interpretation: tours or interpreter services in ASL (American Sign Language)
Braille text: exhibition or event text available in Braille.
Tactile/touch tour: multi-sensory tours or experiences catering to people who are blind or have low vision.
Assistive listening devices: devices such as headsets, headphones, or neckloops with pre-recorded audio content for people with hearing loss.