A standing person is looking at a wheelchair user's hand gestures.
Magical Experiences Arts Company's William S. Baer School residency from the play "Ederlezi." (Baltimore City)

Accessibility

Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) is committed to ensuring all Marylanders can access our programs and services.

Everyone is welcome, and all events and activities sponsored by or operated within MSAC must be fully accessible both physically and programmatically. MSAC complies with all applicable disability-related statutes and regulations, and seeks to ensure meaningful participation by all Marylanders regardless of need or ability.

For accessibility-related questions and inquiries, please contact Derrick Quevedo, Office Secretary, at msac.commerce@maryland.gov or (410) 767-6555 and Lizzie Morales, Accessibility Coordinator, at elizabeth.morales@maryland.gov or (443) 794-7564.

Accommodations Requests

If you have any access needs, please complete the Accommodation Request form by clicking here or contact Derrick Quevedo, Office Secretary, at msac.commerce@maryland.gov or (410) 767-6555 and Lizzie Morales, Accessibility Coordinator, at elizabeth.morales@maryland.gov or (443) 794-7564. 

Please submit a request at least two weeks before any MSAC event date or application deadline. We will work to fulfill requests that we receive at any time. 

Language Access and Translations

MSAC offers language accessibility services. Services include translating MSAC materials and applications into languages other than English, offering remote American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, closed captioning, subtitles, braille translation, and more.

For full website translation scroll to the end of this page and click on the "Translate" button on the bottom right corner. 

En Español/Spanish: MSAC pone a disposición servicios de traducción y accesibilidad de idiomas. Contacte msac.commerce@maryland.gov para más información.  

中文普通话/Mandarin Chinese: 马里兰州艺术委员会(MSAC)提供翻译和语言无障碍服务。请联系msac.commerce@maryland.gov 了解更多信息。

한국어/Korean: MSAC 는 한국어 지원을 돕고 있습니다. 자세한 문의사항은  msac.commerce@maryland.gov  로 연락 주시기 바랍니다.

If you would like to request any document to be translated to a language other than English, please contact Derrick Quevedo, Office Secretary, at msac.commerce@maryland.gov or (410) 767-6555. Please include the material requested for translation and your contact information.

Public Services

Maryland Relay: Maryland Relay is a free public service that allows people, unable to use a standard telephone, to both make and receive phone calls. Telecommunications Access of Maryland (TAM) is the State agency that provides equipment and services for Marylanders who have difficulty using a telephone. 

Maryland Department of Disabilities: The Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) coordinates and provides guidance to the delivery of services to individuals with disabilities in the state of Maryland. They advance policies affecting those with disabilities and access needs for all Marylanders. 

Maryland Department of Health: The Maryland Department of Health provides support services for people who live with a disability.

Accessibility in the Arts

Accessibility in the Arts provides inclusive participation of people with disabilities in all cultural and creative spaces. 

Accessibility in the Arts is a continuously evolving and malleable process that holistically considers all bodyminds for both audiences and artists with diverse needs. Full access will create ecosystems and cultures that are safe and welcoming to all.

Equity and Justice 

The arts celebrate our state’s diversity, connect our shared humanity, and transform individuals and communities. MSAC and its supporting collaborators are committed to advancing and modeling equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion in all aspects of our organizations and across communities of our state. 

MSAC and its grantees are committed to embracing equity and non-discrimination regardless of race, religious creed, color, age, gender expression, sexual orientation, class, language, and/or ability.

MSAC Accessibility Feedback & ADA Grievance Policy

Accessibility Feedback

To provide feedback and information about the accessibility of programs funded or produced by MSAC, contact Lizzie Morales, Accessibility Coordinator, at elizabeth.morales@maryland.gov or (443) 794-7564, and Derrick Quevedo, Office Secretary, at msac.commerce@maryland.gov or (410) 767-6555.

Grievance Policy

It is the policy of MSAC that no qualified individual shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of services from:

  •  Programs or activities provided by MSAC
  •  Programs or activities provided by organizations funded through MSAC

Any person with a disability, qualified under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or their designated representative may file a grievance if they believe a violation relating to the ADA or the 1973 Rehabilitation Act has occurred. The grievance should be filed within thirty (30) days of the alleged violation if possible and in accordance with the grievance procedures set forth below.

Grievance Procedures

Grievances are defined as informal, verbal complaints or written complaints that include the information requested below and received by MSAC’s Accessibility Coordinator.

For programs or services that are funded by MSAC, constituents should communicate the grievance to the sponsoring organization first before filing a grievance with MSAC. If the grievance has not been handled appropriately or if you have not received a response from the sponsoring organization, please contact the MSAC Accessibility Coordinator with the following information: 

  • Description of the incident
  • Date and time of occurrence
  • Nature of the alleged violation
  • Other specific information related to the incident

MSAC’s accessibility coordinator will review the grievance within 30 days of submission to determine appropriate next steps and will provide a written response that will explain the position of MSAC and offer options for resolution of the complaint. 

For programs or services that are provided by MSAC, we encourage constituents to contact the Accessibility Office. To file a formal grievance related to MSAC-operated programs or services, email Dan Leonard, Director of EEO & Fair Practices and ADA Coordinator at the Maryland Department of Commerce, at daniel.leonard@maryland.gov.  The email should include the following information:

  • The name of the MSAC program or service wherein the incident occurred
  • Description of the incident
  • Date and time of occurrence
  • Nature of the alleged violation
  • Other specific information related to the incident

For programs or services that are not provided by or funded by MSAC, we encourage constituents to communicate the grievance directly to the organization.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the situation before filing a grievance, you may contact MSAC staff by email, phone, or mail.

Contact Information for Accessibility-related Topics: 

  • By email: 

  • By phone: 
    • Lizzie Morales, Accessibility Coordinator: (443) 794-7564
    • Derrick Quevedo, Office Secretary: (410) 767-6555 
  • By mail: 
    • Maryland State Arts Council
      Attention: Accessibility Coordinator 
      401 E. Pratt Street, Ste 1400
      Baltimore, MD 2120