Equitable and Inclusive Public Outreach with the James Webb Space Telescope: Combining Art, Science, and Technology

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope revealed its first images on July 12, 2022 and has been doing groundbreaking science ever since. Communication is essential for involving the public in NASA's discoveries of our universe. Scientific exploration transcends international borders; it united humanity to make a mission like Webb feasible in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency Art is a medium that can transcend the boundaries of language, culture, and ability. It can serve as a bridge for communication between technical and non-technical communities through its use of different avenues to express the beauty and nuance of science and engineering in ways that may not be readily accessible to those outside of technical communities of practice. However, equitable and inclusive outreach endeavors are challenging to implement while considering language translations, culture context, sensory methods, and technology capabilities. Formats including the "Unfolding the Universe'' virtual reality (VR) platform have allowed for a wider audience to interact with Webb's images, including sounds, visual aids, and talks by the scientists and engineers who worked on Webb. This VR platform has been expanded to highlight the ESA contributors to the mission and will be showcased internationally. Webb's first images were also translated into sounds as a method of inclusion for those with sight disabilities. We will explore some successful outreach methods and provide suggestions for inclusivity in future.