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Access & Accessibility Plan

Rise Up Community Arts, Inc. (RUCA) welcomes artists (including singers and guest performers), volunteers, staff, Board members, and audience members with disabilities. The policy of RUCA is to ensure equal opportunity for all people to participate in, and benefit from, programs and activities of RUCA, regardless of physical/mental ability, in accordance with Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Additionally, we welcome anyone regardless of race, gender, national origin, color, age, religion, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, or marital status.

Chorus greeting audience

Background of Access
and Accessibility Policy Statement and Implementation Plan

This Access and Accessibility Policy (the Policy) was reviewed and approved by the RUCA Board of Directors as noted below, and is effective immediately thereafter, and will be in effect until future amendments are made.

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RUCA’s Board of Directors, consisting of members of the chorus along with other stakeholders, addresses all accessibility needs for RUCA members in participating in and/or attending all RUCA events. RUCA’s rehearsal venue is fully accessible for all.

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RUCA’s Access and Accessibility Policy is reviewed annually to update and assess its utility, in accordance with the organization’s policy review calendar, and amended and updated as needed. 

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A print copy of the Policy is available upon request to anyone who requests to see it, and it is published on RUCA’s website.

RUCA’s Access Compliance Officer may be reached via email at Admin@RiseUparts.org or by phone at (732) 662-4469.  All requests will be responded to promptly.

Accessibility Implementation Plan and Status

Policies and Management

  1. RUCA will accommodate individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. Special arrangements will be made on an as-needed basis to ensure that this policy goal is met.

  2. RUCA shall not discriminate against individuals with disabilities who desire to become members of RUCA, its Board of Directors, or a member of any subcommittees of these groups.

  3. RUCA will assist participants who require additional, reasonable accommodations to participate. 

  4. RUCA shall post the Policy on its website making it available to the general public. Information regarding accessibility accommodations in programs, newsletters, and other communications will also be shared with the public.

  5. RUCA shall compile and maintain a file of accessibility resources to enable timely compliance with accessibility-related requests. These resources will be kept by RUCA’s Access Compliance Officer.

Programs and Activities

  1. If anyone has an accommodation request due to hearing, vision, or physical impairment, RUCA will work to accommodate such requests. In order to ensure that all needs are met, we ask that all such requests are made to RUCA’s Access Compliance Officer 14 days in advance of an event, via email, phone, or in person.

  2. Certain accommodations will be available automatically at every event without the need for advance request, including:

    • Large print format programs;

    • Special priority seating.

  3. RUCA shall provide seating for performers who are unable to stand for extended periods of time during performances.  Members of RUCA who require additional accommodations to perform with RUCA shall be accommodated on a case-by-case basis.

  4. RUCA will educate its staff and concert volunteers on best practices for welcoming and providing hospitality and assistance to persons with disabilities, including those in wheelchairs, using walkers or canes, or with other concerns, whether events are self-sponsored or held in spaces not controlled by RUCA.

Facilities

Rise Up Community Arts owns no real estate; as such, RUCA does not own any of its rehearsal, regular meeting, or performance venues. Therefore;

  1. RUCA will ensure that all venues that we use are compliant with The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as well as The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and will advocate for inclusive accessibility policies and measures at all venues with which it does business.

  2. RUCA will ensure that its events are physically accessible to all individuals who desire to attend. Physical accessibility shall include parking areas, entrance areas, seating areas, restroom areas, and all other common areas.

  3. In discussions with promoters or hosts who contract with RUCA to perform, RUCA will ensure that its events in spaces not controlled by RUCA shall be physically accessible to all who desire to attend. Physical accessibility shall include parking areas, entrance areas, seating areas, restroom areas, and all other common areas.

Enacted: September 17, 2022

Revised: March 30, 2023; September 12, 2024; August 21, 2025; September 10, 2026

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