The Arts Learning Community for Universal Access is now celebrating its 10th year. A collaborative initiative between the City of Raleigh Arts Commission and the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, the yearlong peer cohort program brings together like-minded arts and cultural administrators in a collective effort to develop greater knowledge and skills in disability arts work.
For the 2025-2026 learning community program, 11 representatives from local arts and cultural programs were selected to join this year’s Learning Community:
- Sonali Schroder – Artspace
- Kaine Riggan – Chamber Music Raleigh
- Julia Whitfield – City of Raleigh, Raleigh Arts
- Robin Mangum – Marbles Kids Museum
- Emi Mizobuchi – North Carolina Chamber Music Institute
- Sabrina Hurtado – North Carolina Museum of Art
- Amanda Reyes – North Carolina Opera
- Maggie Hemedinger – North Carolina Symphony
- Aya Wallace and Verlene Oates – Pure Life Theatre Company
- Terra Hodge – Raleigh Little Theatre
The Arts Learning Community for Universal Access was developed in 2015 to train arts and cultural administrators in arts and accessibility practices. This nationally recognized program uses an inclusive design perspective to help learning community members improve their organizations’ engagement of people with disabilities in the arts.
About Raleigh Arts
Raleigh Arts is the City's hub for public art, community arts programming and partnerships and support for Raleigh’s nonprofit arts community. Raleigh Arts also oversees the Pullen and Sertoma Arts Centers and manages several exhibition spaces as well as the Municipal Art Collection. Toward realizing the City’s vision for arts and culture—art everywhere and art with everyone—Raleigh Arts works to ensure every resident has access to and can enjoy the arts as art makers, audience and students.
About the Raleigh Arts Partner Program
The Raleigh Arts Partner Program works with Raleigh’s nonprofit arts community, providing funding and other resources with a goal of ensuring that Raleigh residents and visitors can find all kinds of art in all kinds of places throughout the City. The Arts Learning Community for Universal Access is one example of the Raleigh Arts Partner Program’s initiatives.
For more information about the Arts Learning Community for Universal Access, or the Raleigh Arts Partner Program, contact S.A. Corrin at sarah.corrin@raleighnc.gov.
