We believe everyone deserves access to Chicago's rich arts and culture.
Our mission is to empower Chicago’s cultural spaces to become more accessible to visitors with disabilities.
Chicago Cultural Accessibility Consortium (CCAC) facilitates a dynamic community of cultural administrators and people with disabilities to remove barriers in the Chicago region’s cultural organizations. CCAC is entirely run by passionate volunteers.
Central to our work, we provide the following free opportunities to cultural organizations and visitors with disabilities:
“Many staff members have attended CCAC programs that provide both philosophical and practical information to help us transform our museum into a place that welcomes all.”
– Museum Administrator
2013: CCAC begins as a volunteer group.
2015: CCAC partners with the ADA 25 Chicago initiative to launch “ADA 25 for 25: Cultural Access Project” to advance accessibility in at least 25 area cultural organizations.
2017: CCAC incorporates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
2020: With funding from Illinois Arts Council, CCAC launches Illinois Cultural Access Network (ICAN).
2016: Lifeline Theatre awards CCAC the Raymond R. Snyder Commitment to the Arts Award.
2015: The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts awards CCAC’s Steering Committee Co-Chairs (Christena Gunther, Evan Hatfield and Lynn Walsh) the Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability Emerging Leader award.
Cultural accessibility: ensuring that people with disabilities have full access (including physical and content access) to cultural organizations.
Cultural administrators: the paid staff and volunteers who work in cultural organizations.
Cultural organizations: a broad term for any organization that seeks to preserve and advance culture. Includes museums, theaters, zoos, parks, concert venues, historic sites and more.
Disability: CCAC follows the Social Model of disability – placing emphasis on the institutions and systems to remove barriers. One is more or less disabled depending on their environment. Learn more about the World Health Organization’s definition of disability.
The CCAC Steering Committee sets the schedule and coordinates CCAC programs.
Learn more about Steering Committee members and its Co-Chairs:
Evan Hatfield, Founding Co-Chair (2013-2018) and Steering Committee Member Emeritus
Lynn Walsh, Founding Co-Chair (2013-2017) and Steering Committee Member Emeritus
Rachel Arfa (2013-2020), Founding Steering Committee Member
Matthew Bivins (2017-2021)
Yolanda Cesta Cursach (2015-2017)
Chauncey Alexander Davis-Mauney (2017-2018)
Jason Harrington (2013-2017), Founding Steering Committee Member
Robin Jones (2013-2015), Founding Steering Committee Member
Kinneret Kohn (2019-2021)
Lucas Livingston (2013-2015), Founding Steering Committee Member
Emma MacLean (2019-2021)
Theresa Pacione (2013-2015), Founding Steering Committee Member
Brittany Pyle (2017-2021)
Jeanna Rathell (2015-2019)
Bonnie Rosenberg (2019-2021)
Mike Shaw (2015-2019)
Jaclyn Wegner (2013-2015), Founding Steering Committee Member
Sandie Yi (2013-2015), Founding Steering Committee Member