(Ticonderoga, NY) Fort Ticonderoga, a major cultural destination, museum, and National Historic Landmark, has been awarded a $10,000 Regrowth and Capacity Grant from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). The grant funds will provide support to Fort Ticonderoga to broaden visitor accessibility both digitally as well as on-site with increased and improved wayfinding. Fort Ticonderoga is partnering with New York University (NYU) and Brawn Media to develop an improved visitor experience for all.
“This unprecedented funding continues our investment into the vital role that the arts contribute to the health of our economy, our communities and our citizens,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “As we continue our comeback, we applaud the strength and innovation of arts organizations across the state and are all the better for their hard work and dedication.”
Fort Ticonderoga Curator, Dr. Matthew Keagle, notes “improving how visitors understand and engage with our content and site is vital to making the Ticonderoga experience something that everyone can enjoy and benefit from. Further, NYSCA’s support will allow us to continue a valuable partnership with NYU and enhance our ability to meet guest needs.”
Fort Ticonderoga has previously partnered on projects with Drs. Amy Hurst and Anita Perr at NYU and will work with them again as part of their Accessible Interpretation in Historic Sites and Museums course. According to Dr. Hurst in this class “graduate and undergraduate students with expertise in Design, Art, and Occupational Therapy collaboratively work with community organizations to address real-world problems. They do this so students can hone technical and professional skills, while expanding the impact of their assignments.”
Fort Ticonderoga is excited to support coursework with immediate applications that will help make Fort Ticonderoga more accessible to visitors with diverse mobility, sensory, and cognitive needs. During our 2023 campaign season, an updated pre-visit accessibility guide, developed with NYU students will be completed and uploaded to Fort Ticonderoga’s website, and site signage will be updated to reflect this, providing consistency and familiarity across the site.
“Fort Ticonderoga is exceedingly grateful to NYSCA for their continued support,” said Beth L. Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “This grant funding provides an important next step in our museum’s ability to provide enhanced accessibility both virtually and on-site making our content and experiences available to all.”
This project is made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
About the New York State Council on the Arts
The Council on the Arts preserves and advances the arts and culture that make New York State an exceptional place to live, work and visit. The Council upholds the right of all New Yorkers to experience the vital contributions the arts make to our communities, education, economic development, and quality of life. To support the ongoing recovery of the arts across New York State, the Council on the Arts will award record funding in FY 2023, providing support across the full breadth of the arts, including dedicated support for arts education and underrepresented communities. The Council on the Arts further advances New York’s creative culture by convening leaders in the field and providing organizational and professional development opportunities and informational resources. Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Council is an agency that is part of the Executive Branch. For more information on NYSCA, please visit http://www.arts.ny.gov, and follow NYSCA’s Facebook page, Twitter @NYSCArts and Instagram @NYSCouncilontheArts.
About Fort Ticonderoga
Welcoming visitors since 1909, Fort Ticonderoga is a historic site, museum, center of learning and major cultural destination. Fort Ticonderoga engages more than 70,000 visitors each year on site with an economic impact of more than $12 million annually and offers programs, historic interpretation, boat cruises, tours, demonstrations, and exhibits throughout the year, and is open for daily visitation May through October. Fort Ticonderoga is owned and operated by The Fort Ticonderoga Association, a non-profit educational organization which serves its mission to preserve, educate and provoke an active discussion about the past and its importance to present and future generations. Fort Ticonderoga reaches more than 30 million people through its digital outreach each year through its Center for Digital History and is supported in part through generous donations and with some general operating support made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts. To view Fort Ticonderoga’s electronic press kit, click here. © The Fort Ticonderoga Association. 2023 All Rights Reserved.
Photo credit: Carl Heilman II, copyright Fort Ticonderoga.