Towards an Inclusive Culture – A Study of Audience Needs Research in Latvia

So far, relatively little research has been conducted in Latvia on the possibilities of cultural availability and accessibility for people with functional impairments from the perspective of audience needs research [LKA, Analītisko pētījumu un stratēģiju laboratorija, SKDS 2020; Klāsons, Selecka, Hermane 2022; LKA KMI 2024a]. However, the results of the conducted research, the discussions, seminars and conferences regularly organised by advocacy NGOs for the rights of people with functional impairments, as well as the activities initiated by individual cultural organisations, indicate the importance and topicality of this theme when thinking about the development of a democratic and inclusive society in Latvia. Although there are various international and local guidelines for cultural organisations [LKA KMI 2024b] on how to make their products and services accessible to people with different types of functional impairments, the research and public debate so far show that improvements in Latvia are too slow and unsystematic. The authors of this study stress that one of the main problems is the invisibility of target groups and the lack of definition of their voice and specific needs in public space, especially in cultural organisations, which would allow for a more precise identification of cultural accessibility problematic and the necessary solutions. The aim of this study is to investigate in depth the needs of people with functional impairments (mobility, visual, hearing, mental), to record the opinions of these target groups on the current situation of cultural accessibility in Latvia and to identify the main problems and possible solutions for improving cultural accessibility. Qualitative methodology was used in the study. Focus group discussions and in-depth, semi-structured interviews were used as empirical data collection methods. The main target groups of the study are people with functional impairments (hearing, visual, mobility and mental), as well as non-governmental organisations representing their interests.