Access Granted with R. David New

Today's guest is someone who has been at the forefront of accessible music technology for decades. Bill McCann is the founder of Dancing Dots, a pioneering company dedicated to making music accessible to people who are blind and visually impaired. Through innovations in music notation, assistive software, and education, Bill has opened doors that were once firmly closed, empowering musicians to read, write, and produce music independently. His work doesn't just adapt a system, it reimagines it. In today's conversation, we'll explore how accessibility fuels creativity, the evolution of music technology for blind musicians, and what the future of inclusive design in the arts can and should look like. 

Today, we're honored to welcome Georgina Klieg, a writer, scholar, and leading voice in disability studies and the arts. Georgina is a professor emerita at UC Berkeley and the author of several influential books, including Sight Unseen and More Than Meets the Eye, where she challenges traditional ideas about blindness and visual culture. Her work has helped reshape how museums, artists, and audiences think about accessibility and inclusion. Through her writing, teaching, and advocacy, Georgina has been a powerful force in making the arts more welcoming to people of all abilities

Sina Bahram is the president and founder of Prime Access Consulting, or PAC. PAC is an inclusive design firm that helps welcome the widest possible audience to all digital and physical spaces. Sina has served as an expert witness, spoken at the United Nations, and contributed to landmark disability cases at all levels, including the Supreme Court of the United States. He also serves on and chairs multiple corporate, academic, and nonprofit boards. As an Astro Access Ambassador, Sina took part in a groundbreaking program that brought people with lived experience as close as possible to space. Flying aboard GeForce One, a specially modified Boeing 727-200, he helped test how astronauts with disabilities could navigate spacecraft, shaping the future of a more inclusive space program.

Today's guest is Joy Mistovich, Assistant Education Director and Digital Accessibility Specialist at the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio. Joy is a passionate advocate for accessible and inclusive museum experiences, combining her background In art education, technology, and accessibility to make art available to all. A blind visual artist, author, and accessibility pioneer, Joy considers her blindness a gift that fuels her mission to break barriers and challenge misconceptions.* She's presented at national conferences, serves on multiple accessibility boards, and was named the Ohio Museums Association  Emerging Professional of the Year in 2024.*

Step inside an exclusive Art Basel special edition of Access Granted, where creativity takes center stage. This episode unlocks behind-the-scenes conversations, bold ideas, and the cultural moments shaping today's art world—bringing you closer to the artists, stories, and inspirations that make Art Basel unforgettable.

Today, I'm thrilled to welcome a true pioneer in accessibility, arts education, and inclusive cultural programming Trish Maunder .* Trish is the Creative Director and Co-Founder of Philly Touch Tours, where she designs groundbreaking tactile and sensory experiences in museums and cultural institutions for blind and visually impaired audiences. * Her work has transformed how people connect with art, history, and culture *from the Penn Museum and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, to the Mutter Museum, The Museum of the American Revolution, and countless others.* At the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, she taught courses on art, inclusive education, and museum practices, mentoring the next generation of educators and advocates. * Beyond the classroom, Trish has led accessibility initiatives, designed programs with institutions across the U.S., and presented at the national and international conferences on multi-sensory engagement, access, and social justice in the arts.* Her career spans decades of creative leadership from working with the Faith Ringgold Foundation to developing family programs at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts * always with a focus on inclusion. equity, and the transformative power of art.* She's been featured on NBC Nightly News, PBS, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Associated Press for her groundbreaking work, and continues to be a leading voice for accessibility and advocacy in the arts.* Send feedback to: [email protected] Feel free to visit our website: Poweraccess.com