ACCESSIBILITY
It is our commitment at Massy Arts to offer free programming when possible to reduce the barriers of our events to the public. We are able to do so thanks to community hub members who recognize their proximity to privilege and donate accordingly to keep our space open.
Please see the current floor plan here: 21105-Floorplan
ENTERING THE BUILDING:
Massy Arts Gallery is a single-level space, in one single room. The entryway to the building is 38″ wide, with a transition less than 0.5″. The front door is a push door that swings inward to the left. Sometimes it is locked, so please knock and we will come and open the door for you. We do not have an automatic opening door or switch.
Our measurements of the gallery are as follows:
Entryway via the front door is 38″
Transition at front door is no higher than 0.5
The front desk is over 29″ tall, however staff are there to assist if you have any questions
Bathroom door is 36″ with a flat handle and requires you push down to open it. Door requires pushing and opening to the left
Height of toilet 17″
Grab bar height is 33″ and to the right of the toilet
Sink wheelchair friendly at 34″, sink handle requires you lift it up to run water, turn left and right for hot and cold
Paper towel holder is at the same height as sink, with paper coming from the bottom which requires you pull down.
Washroom is gender neutral
TRANSIT AND PARKING:
We are located at 23 E. Pender in Vancouver, which is located near bus routes 4, 5, 7, 19, 22, 50, and 23. We about 3 blocks South-West from the gallery to the Expo line at the Stadium-Chinatown station located at Beatty and Dunsmuir, but it is also accessible from Abbott and Expo Boulevard, and Keefer Place. Please note, Keefer Place is the only access point with an elevator, everything else requires stairs or an escalator.
There is paid public street parking in front of our building, however, it is not guaranteed to be available upon arrival. Due to required payment, we are unable to block access without a city permit. Parking is $5/hr until 6 pm, and then rates are reduced. There are no machines to take coins. Payment for parking requires having access to a phone and a credit card. Sometimes, as is the case in all areas of the city, parking is blocked for other city events or for filming. We encourage folks to check in with us no less than 24 hours via phone to 604-376-4350, between 12-5 pm, or via email to info@massyarts.com, info@massybooks.com, and community@massyarts.com. There is a parking garage two blocks from the gallery, on the corner of Keefer and Quebec, as well as parking at International Village Mall at 88 West Pender, 3 blocks away.
THE SPACE:
There is always seating available during our regular hours from 12-5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday. We have the following seating available:
Wooden bench with no back support, with a weight capacity of 600 pounds. Bench is 70″ long, 14″ deep, and 17″ seat height.
Wooden Chairs (2) with back support and a weight capacity of 300 pounds. Seat width is 17 3/8″, seat depth is 14 1/8″, and the seat height is at 17 3/4″.
Plastic folding chairs (40) plastic folding chairs with a weight capacity of 220 pounds. Seat width is 14 5/8″, seat depth is 13 3/8″, and the seat height is at 17 3/4″
*If you require the wooden bench or wooden chair at any of our events, please ensure you call or email a request for specialized seating at least 24 hours before. If no one requests the bench or wooden chairs, we’ll ensure they are kept available until the start of the event if it is needed.
At this time we encourage visitors from wearing cologne or perfume, but we cannot guarantee a scent free space. We use scent free soap and cleaning supplies.
If you are Blind/low-vision/a non-visual learner and would like visual descriptions for the pieces in the gallery, please talk to a staff member and they will assist you. At this time, staff have basic knowledge of visual description, but are not formally trained. We have requested funding to assist with a formal workshop. We welcome feedback and ideas on how we can improve this in or gallery as we work towards accessibility on this front.
Requests & Accommodations:
We offer ASL interpretation by request and need a minimum of two weeks to do so. For reference, promotions for our programming take place 45 days in advance. We are working towards providing recordings for all our events with closed captioning.
Please send your requests to info@massyarts.com with the subject line: Access Request.
HARM REDUCTION:
We recognize residents of the downtown eastside—many of whom are immigrant, urban Indigenous and vulnerable populations—to be our neighbours and support their right to cope through the violence of colonial capitalism by accessing harm reduction.
Staff at Massy Arts are equipped with Naloxone and de-escalation training. We look to each other to provide community care and support without the intervention of the police. If medical help is needed outside the scope of our training, our team will call an ambulance and request no police presence.
Massy Arts commits to interacting with our neighbours with kindness, empathy and clear boundaries. We do not accommodate drug use at our space but are located two blocks from Insite, a safe injection site for community members, as well as many other programs offered by the PHS.
COVID-19 PROTOCOLS:
While no longer mandated under the Public Health Act, individual businesses and event organizers have the right to require masks on their premises and for their events.
Massy Arts recognizes that BIPOC and 2SLGBTQQAI+ communities have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Our commitment to supporting the practice of Indigenous and over-excluded artists extends to our health protocols.
As a result, our community hub requires:
- masks (we recommend N95)
We ask that artists and guests be respectful, patient and be mindful of others’ comfort levels as we navigate with these protocols in mind
FEEDBACK:
If you have any questions or concerns related to your own access needs while in the gallery, or if you have any feedback, please email us at patricia@massybooks.com
FORTHCOMING:
We are currently communicating with various folks who work in improving accessibility and so this page should be updated with further information and reduce barriers soon.