Accessibility

Please contact Julia Collver for special accommadation.
Julia@FloridaCraftArt.org
(727) 821 – 7391

Located in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida CraftArt’s large windows provide an inviting peek into the colorful and eclectic mix of fine crafts inside. Entry into the retail and exhibition galleries is always free, and volunteers and staff have been trained to be welcoming and attentive to all visitors’ needs.

All spaces are ADA compliant, and the upper floor is accessible through the elevator or stairs. Though the layout of the gallery is often changed, pedestals and free-standing displays are positioned so that visitors in wheelchairs or walkers have access to all areas. FCA is currently raising funds for automatically opening handicapped doors.

There is seating inside the front door for those who may need to rest. All restrooms are ADA compliant, and both the women and men’s restrooms have baby diaper-changing stations.

Accessibility symbols are placed on both the gallery and ArtLofts entry doors, as well as on all printed announcements, such as postcards and invitations.

Efforts are made to entice diverse audiences into the galleries. Florida CraftArt regularly hosts visitors from Creative Clay, an organization that provides art education to adults with developmental, physical, and psychological challenges. On our entrance door are symbols designating FCA as a safe place for the LGBTQ community, a bike-friendly business, and, as St. Petersburg is a pet-friendly city, we also welcome leashed dogs.

In 2009, FCA’s in-house curator created “The Experience Collection,” an exhibition which is a compilation of artwork designed to be experienced by those who are visually or hearing impaired or otherwise challenged. The fine craft art pieces include musical instruments that can be strummed, ceramic works that rattle when shaken, fuzzy pieces that are tactile, accompanied by braille cards with information about the pieces. It is offered to organizations that would like to display it for their visitors. It was exhibited at Creative Pinellas in 2020.

The FCA staff have studied the LGBTQ welcoming information provided by the city, and also trained in accessibility procedures.

One of FCA’s volunteers is chairing FCA’s “Welcoming of the Deaf Community” initiative, and the staff is actively learning sign language. Interpreters are provided as needed for deaf audience members.