Commission nationale Culture et Handicap (CNCH) - 14 January 2014, 9th edition (1/9)

2.1 Status of Public Access (PE) Compliance by Sector

2.1.1 National higher education institutions Culture

Of the 41 Culture national educational institutions, 37 are Ministry of Culture and Communication operators. For these establishments, all accessibility diagnostics were performed. For the 37 schools, the total amount of work is estimated at 26,700,000 euro.

Monitoring tables of the compliance of the 37 national higher education schools Culture ( SYNTHESE/SG/SAFIG-BPI - November 2013)

 1Programmed Accessibility Agenda (ADAP)

2.1.2 The compliance of institutions receiving from the public under the supervision of the General Directorate of Assets (DGPat)

The 74 monuments managed by the National Monuments Centre (NMC)

For the CMN, the challenge is major since it imposes on the institution to reconcile these upgrades with the heritage conservation of the seventy-four monuments that are given to it in endowment. If only a few national monuments will be fully accessible at 1^er In January 2015, important diagnostics and work are now being undertaken to extend these measures to the entire NMC fleet.

Diagnostics Accessibility

To better assess the feasibility of such works, the establishment initially commissioned audits of seven monuments in 2006: Arc de Triomphe, Azay-le-Rideau Castle, Carcassonne City, Pantheon, Glanum site, Mont-Saint-Michel and Palais du Tau.

Based on these initial results, the CMN launched a national diagnostic campaign in 2012 to assess the accessibility of all national monuments. The terms of reference for the consultation were established in close collaboration with associations representing persons with disabilities and the call for tenders launched in March 2012.

The audits will be conducted on seven groups of monuments grouped according to their geographical proximity, and in three tranches spread over three years. The first tranche was delivered at the end of 2013, the next two tranches will be implemented in 2014.

Each diagnosis is based on an inventory of sites taking into account the heritage constraints of the monument to establish recommendations as well as a financial evaluation of their implementation. The Project Management (DMO) will then be able to schedule the work of upgrading to the standards to be carried out. As soon as they have an impact on the heritage part of the monument, they will be led under the mastery of the chief architects of the historic monuments.

Construction operations

In parallel with these consultations, the DMO now systematically integrates accessibility constraints into all its work operations, whether conservation, restoration or development. Special attention is paid to facilities for visitors and staff: review of the internal and external tour routes, layout of reception and work areas, installation of comfort equipment (sanitary facilities, elevators, drop-off, etc.).

Thus, the work carried out from 2005 for the renovation of the tour circuit of the Palais du Tau, allows full accessibility of the monument which received, in February 2012, the trophy of accessibility of the National Council for the Disability. The Royal Logis d'Angers, restored after its destruction by fire, offers, since June 2012, fully accessible visiting spaces. Similarly, the restoration campaigns carried out on two monuments that reopened to the public in 2013, the castle of Champs-sur-Marne and the Villa Cavrois, fully integrate this accessibility component.

All the work campaigns planned in the coming years take this imperative into account, in particular the ambitious restoration projects of the Pantheon and Ferney-Voltaire.

Summary of audits and work operations 2011 – 2016

• global accessibility of the Tau palace 
• restoration, upgrading and accessibility of the Royal Residence of the Château d'Angers
• renovation and accessibility of the reception and logistical spaces of the Abbey of Cluny: palace of Pope Gelase and Porterie
• restoration, upgrading and accessibility of the Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes
• restoration, upgrading and accessibility of the Château de Champs-sur-Marne
• development of a reception area adapted to people with disabilities at the Château de Champs-sur-Marne
• restoration and accessibility of the park and interiors of the villa Cavrois
• development of a temporary reception area adapted to people with disabilities at Villa Cavrois

• first phase of accessibility audits
• restoration and accessibility of the Ferney-Voltaire Castle orangery
• restoration and accessibility of Cadillac access bridges
• restoration and accessibility of Azay-le-Rideau Park
• securing and accessibility of the West rampart of Carcassonne
• continuation of the restoration and accessibility of the interiors of Villa Cavrois (slices 2 and 3)
• development of a shop adapted to people with disabilities in Mont-Saint-Michel

accessibility of the tour circuit:

• second and third installments of accessibility audits
• accessibility of the Hall of Fame
• restoration and accessibility of the châtelet and the sleeping bridge of the castle of Vincennes
• requalification and accessibility of the surroundings of Maisons-Laffitte
• accessibility of Sainte-Chapelle de Paris
• restoration and accessibility of the park of the trophy of Auguste to the Turbie
• restoration and accessibility of Ferney-Voltaire Castle
• restoration, upgrading and accessibility of the Château de Pierrefonds

accessibility of reception and administrative spaces:

• rehabilitation and accessibility of the sanitary facilities of Pierrefonds castle
• development and accessibility of the Thoronet parking lot
• upgrading and accessibility of access to the Arc de Triomphe
• creation of adapted sanitary facilities for people with disabilities at the Arc de Triomphe
• redevelopment and accessibility of reception spaces at the Cité de Carcassonne
• redevelopment and accessibility of the reception at Georges Clemenceau’s house
• development and accessibility of the parking lot of the villa Cavrois
• development of a permanent reception area adapted to people with disabilities at Villa Cavrois
• arrangement of a temporary reception and adapted for people with disabilities at the villa Savoye
• redevelopment and accessibility of the reception pavilion at the Turbie Trophy
• redevelopment and accessibility of the megalith house in Carnac
• redevelopment and accessibility of the Pantheon shop
• development of a reception area adapted to persons with disabilities of the Thoronet

The museums

In 2008, the Ministry of Culture and Communication initiated a diagnostic for 5 emblematic cathedrals, 23 national museums and some monuments representative of the different situations and difficulties that can be encountered in accessibility. These diagnoses serve as a programmatic basis for the multi annual work which is either being carried out or integrated into the current master plans.

2.1.3 The compliance of establishments receiving from the public under the supervision of the Direction générale à la création artistique (DGCA)

In order to promote access by all audiences to artistic and cultural practices, national cultural structures, associations and federations are encouraged, in the objective agreements they sign with the DGCA, ensure the integration of all audiences in the actions they implement so that everyone, regardless of social background, place of residence or disability, can truly participate in the cultural life of the city.

The compliance of establishments receiving from the public under the supervision of the Media and Cultural Industries Directorate (DGMIC)

Meeting of Cultural Institutions for Accessibility (RECA)

Overview of the Cultural Institutions for Accessibility Meeting 

On March 28, 2003, the Minister of Culture and Communication asked his public institutions to propose concrete measures to improve the reception of people with disabilities in cultural institutions in the short term.

A mission was thus created, celebrating this year its 10 years of existence. Called the “Meeting of Cultural Institutions for Accessibility” (RECA), it is managed by Universcience.

In 2013, 14 of the ministry’s public institutions actively participated. They were joined by eight public institutions under the supervision of other ministries and three communities. Three new institutions of the Ministry of Culture and Communication have just joined this dynamic.

The RECA conducted a reflection within different working groups and developed concrete inter-institutional actions that resulted in improvements of all kinds: architectural, editorial, IT and technical.

In parallel, the groups write notebooks of advice that are inserted in the publications of the ministry and posted on its website.

Work currently underway focuses on:

• employment of persons with disabilities in cultural institutions;
• the promotion of adapted cultural offers to people with disabilities;
• the contribution of new technologies for disabled visitors;
• the compliance of public cultural institutions with the 2005 law;
• the evaluation of the proposed offers and arrangements;
• improving the reception of visitors with learning difficulties.

Presentation of the Meeting of Cultural Institutions for Accessibility Working Groups

Employment of Persons with Disabilities Group has drafted a guide to welcoming disabled workers which has been integrated into the practical guide to accessibility «Culture and Disability» published in February 2007 by the Ministry of Culture and Communication.

The working group operates on the basis of meetings with external stakeholders; this is how it received a social donor, Paris Habitat, which offers financially accessible housing for people with disabilities and the Disability Research Institute which federates the Cap Emploi (associations working for the employment of people with disabilities).

He also met with ESAT Hors-les-Murs, working mainly with people with mental disabilities, which made it possible to deepen the specificities related to it, and SAMETH 78 (Active Solution for Job Retention), an AGEFIPH-funded organization that provides personal assistance and awareness.

The group plans to again invite people with disabilities to testify about their professional background, experiences, difficulties, etc.

At the same time, institutions are increasing their internal awareness operations.

Piloting : Musée du quai Branly and Centre national de la cinématographie et de l'image animée.

The group «Promotion adapted cultural offers for people with disabilities  » created an Ariane-info website containing information for disabled visitors offered by participating institutions. RECA has decided to develop this experimental site to make it more accessible, more attractive, from the user’s point of view but also from the back office’s point of view. In 2012, the group drew up a set of specifications that made it possible to contract an agreement with the Regional Tourism Committee to develop the Handistrict website in this direction. It will include all the participants of the RECA, with their cultural news, as well as a monthly agenda. A multi-criteria search engine will also search by type of place or type of disability.

A link is being studied to integrate the corresponding information in the cultural agenda of the ministry: Culture.fr;

The group has also created a logo, thus making it possible to better affirm the identity of the RECA.

The group also organizes the participation of its establishments in specialized fairs such as Autonomic, in the form of a joint stand.

Piloting : National Museum of Natural History and Regional Tourism Committee Paris Ile-de-France.

The New Technologies Group which combines the «New technologies and disability» laboratory of the University of Paris 8 with its approach, initially chose to focus its work on sign language visioguides and audioguides adapted to visually impaired visitors. He has prepared a booklet of recommendations for the design and use of each of these materials that will be integrated into the practical guide “Accessible Exhibitions” of the Collection Culture-Handicap of the Ministry of Culture and Communication. The group then worked in the same way on the online needs of audiences by type of disability (visual, auditory, mental, motor), then organized presentations of interesting achievements of the institutions composing it.

Piloting : Louvre Museum, National Library of France and National Monuments Centre.

The group ' Compliance of public cultural institutions with the 2005 law » was set up in early December 2006. He worked on the diagnosis imposed by the law, the specifications of this diagnosis, the existing providers and the modalities of implementation of the work. A Building Compliance Monitoring Table for RECA members has been established. The working group has also developed its concerted action on the accessibility of websites and more recently, on the redesign of the «Museums and Monuments» evaluation grids of the Tourism and Disability label.

Piloting : Ministry of Culture and Communication (General Secretariat).

The group «Evaluation offers and facilities offered to people with disabilities » was created in 2011. This group brings together specialists in mediation with disabled audiences and professionals in surveys of audiences in cultural institutions. The group decided to launch various exploratory surveys in a dozen member cultural institutions of the RECA (museums, monuments, libraries and places of performing arts). Survey programs are broken down by type of disability (visual, intellectual, auditory and motor). They aim to:

• improve the knowledge of people with disabilities (practices, social composition, motivations, representations, etc.) and analyse their reception of the adapted mediation mechanisms and offers offered by cultural institutions;
• experiment with survey methodologies through different protocols implemented for each disability, seeking to collect the voice of persons with disabilities.

Piloting : Musée du quai Branly, Public Information Library, Ministry of Culture and Communication (SG and DGPat).

The group «Improving the reception of people with learning disabilities» was created in 2006. This group is working to improve the management of people with learning disabilities in the sectors covered by the participating institutions: monumental and museum heritage, live performances, books and reading, etc. The group participated in the production of the practical guide to accessibility «Cultural equipment and mental disability» - Éditions MCC/SG/SCPCI/DEDAC - September 2009.

He is currently developing a collection project «La Visite» proposed to the Ministry of Culture and Communication by SaNoSi Productions, which will be an indispensable extension/ supplement of the guide around the practices developed by the RECA institutions.

Piloting : National Monuments Centre

Topicality

Meeting on 3 December 2013, to take stock of their work, the RECA institutions decided to enrich the system in order to facilitate exchanges of good practices and consultations on specific themes. In addition to the regular working groups, thematic correspondents will facilitate the flow of information and questions and facilitate meetings.

Exchanges with disability associations will also be strengthened.

2.3. National Monuments Centre Accessibility Policy: National Monuments Centre Protocols 

A proactive policy of adapting visits to all visitors with disabilities

The National Monuments Centre has made the reception of people with disabilities one of its priorities. The sustained and consequent effort in favour of the physical accessibility of monuments naturally complements the work carried out by the CMN to define scenographic and museographic contents of tours adapted to people with disabilities, develop mediation tools and put in place compensatory measures in the event that certain spaces cannot be made accessible.

More than 150 visits and adapted activities, including mediation tools for one or more categories of disabled visitors are currently offered in some sixty national monuments. The CMN is also setting up cultural mediation tools to facilitate self-guided visits to monuments. Exceptional events, inclusive or dedicated to people with disabilities, are organized each year in the monuments, on an ad hoc basis («Welcome for all» days) or in a network («Monuments for all» event).

An indispensable, registered partnership in the duration

The CMN’s action to improve the conditions of accessibility to the built environment and the cultural offer in monuments is supported by five major associations representing people with disabilities, partners of the establishment since 2003:

• the Association des Paralysés de France (APF)
• the Valentin Haüy Association (AVH)
• the French National Federation of the Deaf (FNSF)
• the Groupement pour l'insertion des personnes handicapées physiques (GIHP)
• the National Union of Associations of Parents, People with Learning Disabilities and
• their friends (UNAPEI).

Through their expertise, these associations guarantee the satisfaction of the beneficiaries targeted by these achievements.

Decisive support

• Appraise projects
• Participate in their realization
• Test achievements
• Disseminate information

Signed on the occasion of the Commission Nationale Culture et Handicap of 14 January 2014, a fourth partnership protocol renews the missions already entrusted by the Centre of National Monuments to its partners, within the framework of the protocols of 2003, 2007 and 2010

• Collaborate in the development of projects for the accessibility of monuments: advice on accessibility studies and on the projects of development resulting from them, as well as on the possible alternative measures to be implemented;
• participate in the design of visits or projects of cultural offer adapted in the monuments: advice and expertise for the realization of synopsis of adapted visits (organization of visits-tests) and supports and tools of assistance to the visit;
• help to disseminate information on the possibilities offered by monuments to the public concerned (local associations);
• to promote the establishment of links between the National Monuments Centre and various partners developing actions in favour of these audiences.