South Carolina webinar spotlights low-cost and high-tech assistive tools to widen arts access

The South Carolina Arts Commission and ABLE South Carolina on April 2, 2025, held a webinar showing how a range of assistive technologies and low‑cost “life hacks” can make arts programs and venues more accessible to people with disabilities.

The webinar — the sixth session in the second year of the commission’s disability and arts series — combined demonstrations, personal stories and practical suggestions for arts organizations, with an emphasis that accessibility can be low‑cost as well as high‑tech. “Assistive technology is the great equalizer,” said Dorey Tempio, senior director of community education at ABLE South Carolina.

Why it matters: panelists said accessible programming helps arts organizations meet obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and removes practical and attitudinal barriers that keep many people from participating. Presenters urged arts centers, theaters and community programs to consult directly with people with disabilities when planning events and to use accessible design strategies that let participants join alongside family, friends and peers.

Panelists described three broad sets of solutions: low‑tech adaptations, mid‑range assistive devices and emerging digital tools. Low‑cost examples included magnetic trays, rubber grips and…