VIENNA.- The Secession now offers a mobile video guide in Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS) that accompanies interested visitors on a tour of the building and exhibitions.
At five stations, an ÖGS speaker shares information about the Secession’s architecture and history, the Association of Visual Artists, the exhibition programming, and the Beethoven Frieze. Visitors wishing to use the ÖGS guide may borrow a tablet computer at the cash desk or watch the videos on any mobile device such as a private smartphone. QR codes at the marked stations provide easy access to the guide.
The ÖGS video guide was realized in cooperation with Sandra Schügerl, who translated the contents into Austrian Sign Language and produced the videos. The project was implemented with support from the Vienna of Labour.
“It is our stated goal as the board to strengthen the Secession’s role as a scene of social exchange and improve access for broader audiences. That is why we have been expanding dedicated art education programs that specifically cater to new and previously underrepresented demographics. Most recently, support from the Chamber of Labour has enabled us to have our classic audio guide translated into three additional languages—BCS, Turkish, and Polish—so as to welcome more Viennese communities to our galleries. We are now especially pleased to present the new video guide in Austrian Sign Language, another major step toward building barrier-free access to our building and exhibitions,” Ramesch Daha says, speaking for the board of the Secession.
“Art and culture must be accessible to all people, without financial or linguistic hurdles. The Chamber of Labour is very happy to help dismantle barriers. Our members’ cultural pursuits are no less central to our mission than their social, professional, and economic interests. By supporting the production of the video guide to the Secession in Austrian Sign Language, we make another valuable contribution to promoting those pursuits,” Renate Anderl, president of the Chamber of Labour, adds.
