Flexible, Responsive Access for Museum Equity

The North Dakota Museum of Art is launching FRAME in 2026. FRAME is a museum-wide initiative that approaches access as a foundational aspect of program design rather than a secondary accommodation. It reflects a commitment to creating environments that are flexible, responsive, and intentionally structured to support a diverse range of needs, abilities, and engagement styles.

Following ongoing conversations with visitors and sustained community engagement, we are developing a menu of supports and adaptations that anyone can utilize when visiting the Museum or participating in its programs.

At the core of FRAME is the understanding that access is not a fixed set of supports, but an ongoing process of adjustment, observation, and response. This work focuses not only on participant experience, but on the systems that support it, including staffing, training, materials, and program structure. Rather than relying on last-minute adaptations, FRAME emphasizes preparation, consistency, and the development of environments that anticipate a range of needs from the outset.

Programs developed through FRAME may include flexible pacing, sensory-aware supports, adaptable instruction, and multiple modes of engagement. This includes the use of durable adaptive tools such as noise-reducing headphones, visual timers, weighted materials, and clear visual schedules that support transitions and reduce uncertainty. These supports are shaped in response to the individual needs within each experience.

FRAME extends across Museum programming, including Summer Art Camp, Family Day, guided tours, and future learning opportunities. It is intended to inform both the design of individual programs and the broader structure through which the Museum engages its audiences.

In 2026, a dedicated week of Summer Art Camp will serve as the initial site for FRAME implementation. This launch will bring together teaching artists, support staff, and trained para-professionals working in a co-teaching model to create a structured and predictable environment. The week is designed as a working model, where staff and participants engage side by side in a real-time process of testing, refining, and evaluating approaches to access. The experience will conclude with a public exhibition and reception, offering an opportunity to reflect on what has been learned and what should be carried forward.

FRAME is a long-term initiative. The Museum is developing this work through staff training, guidance from accessibility professionals with experience in disability-informed and low-vision practices, collaboration with community partners, and direct engagement with participants. This process allows the Museum to move intentionally, building knowledge over time and integrating these practices across programs rather than applying them in isolation.

As FRAME develops, its impact will extend beyond individual programs to shape how the Museum functions as a whole. This includes strengthening how we support visitors of all ages, improving clarity and comfort within gallery spaces, and expanding the ways audiences can engage with exhibitions. The goal is not only to increase access, but to ensure that visitors are able to engage in ways that feel supported and meaningful while building the internal capacity to sustain this work into the future.

FRAME is made possible with support from the City of Grand Forks Arts Re-Grant.

For additional information, please contact the Museum.