Raleigh will be the host city of the 2020 Kennedy Center's Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD®) Conference, officials have confirmed.
Over 600 professionals from around the country will come together to discuss ways to make arts and cultural experiences more inclusive and available to people of all levels of ability.
The conference will focus on three concepts: exploring practical ways for making cultural events accessible, sharing information about accessibility in the arts, and sharing knowledge and resources. Flyer printing can be used to create handouts for events like this.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will turn 30 in 2020, and the LEAD® Conference will be held for the 20th time. These anniversaries are meaningful to Raleigh and its residents. According to Nancy McFarlane, the mayor of the city, Raleigh has worked with LEAD® since the program began.
The Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, and the Raleigh Little Theatre, were two of the local organizations that first imagined the LEAD® concept. The effort started in 2000, aiming to create cultural and arts programs that are accessible to and inclusive of older people, as well as those with disabilities. Mayor McFarlane noted that Raleigh has been involved in the work for two decades, and is delighted that the city will host the conference on this anniversary.
The conference will take place in August 2020.
