The Indomitable Spirit of the Kennedy Center’s Betty Siegel

At the heart of the Kennedy Center’s efforts to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities is Betty Siegel, nationally recognized leader for accessibility to the arts. Betty Siegel’s three-person staff has a broad variety of responsibilities as part of the education program.

The Kennedy Center keeps its policy simple and to the point. “The Kennedy Center welcomes persons with disabilities.” Betty thinks it needs no further explanation.” That says it all!” she states emphatically. It also gives her the ability to widen the scope of her office in creative and practical ways that achieve this objective.

"Patron needs, including the facility's accessibility, are a large part of our focus," says Siegel. "For instance, five of my eight volunteers do nothing else but work on Braille and large print programs, which is one of our most utilized service."

"But we are also concerned with representing the disability population onstage, sharing our knowledge and experience with other arts organizations, and offering internships in the arts to students with disabilities." To this end, the Kennedy Center has just begun a unique program of arts management internships for persons with developmental and/or cognitive disabilities. The three-year-old program, called Experimental Education Initiative, accepts three students per quarter who serve as interns in various areas of the Kennedy Center. Students gain exposure in many areas of arts administration, the finance office, the National Symphony library, and the Youth and Family Performance Office, among others.

The Center often partners with local and national community organizations who are focusing on the artistic ability of members. For instance, the Center has strong ties with the deaf community and during Deaf Way II last summer showcased the talents of deaf actors and artists.

The Kennedy Center’s Accessibility Office has become one of the nation’s primary resources for cultural institutions in the area of disabilities. They are able to provide solutions for technology challenges in theaters, direction for incorporating individuals with hearing loss and other disabilities in the arts, and understanding of the legislation that protects the rights of individuals with disabilities who attend public cultural institutions.

Scott J. Bally’s article, The Indomitable Spirit of the Kennedy Center’s Betty Siegel, was featured in the November/December 2011 issue of Hearing Loss Magazine. More here.