Author: So Yeon Park
We, ISMIR, are a non-profit organization that seeks to advance research in the field of music information retrieval (MIR). This means fostering an active exchange of MIR ideas and activities within the community, which is diverse in its membership and disciplines. Given our goals, we are particularly keen on making ISMIR an increasingly inclusive community where anyone is welcome, regardless of age, race, gender, abilities, etc.
To this end, the General Chairs of ISMIR 2024 have welcomed me, So Yeon Park, as the first Accessibility Chair of ISMIR. Having spent years facilitating art therapy for children with neurological and developmental disorders, researching and designing for those with hearing and visual impairments, and now conducting accessibility research in industry, I am deeply honored and excited to lead this important effort.
Ensuring accessibility practices at conferences is critical to creating an inclusive environment that accommodates all attendees, fosters a sense of belonging, and promotes equal participation. So what are we doing to enhance accessibility this year?
As a start, we introduced some publication best practices to the scientific program. With the Scientific Program Committee Chairs and Publications Chair, we delineated several requirements and suggestions to make our publication materials and posters more accessible including the following:
- Alt text recommendation (and instructions) for camera-ready accepted papers
- Color choice recommendations for paper, poster, and video submissions
- Font recommendations for poster submissions
- Caption requirement (and instructions) for video submissions
- Professional captioning of selected sessions
More information can be found at https://ismir2024.ismir.net/presenter-and-author-instructions.
We confirmed various aspects of the conference venue with the Event Planner and General Chairs to enhance accessibility:
- Wheelchair accessibility to and throughout the conference venue
- Assistive listening devices upon request
- Service animal at the conference venue ($100/day billed to the attendee)
- Food labels indicating allergens and gluten-free / vegan / vegetarian options at coffee breaks and reception in case of any food / diet restrictions
- Gender neutral bathroom with signage
- Reader boards on every floor to provide clear signage
- Public transportation options nearby (i.e., BART, Muni bus stop)
More details on accessibility at the hotel venue can be found here: https://www.hyatt.com/hyatt-regency/en-US/sfors-hyatt-regency-san-francisco/hotel-info.
To create an inviting environment, we have included various identifiers on attendees’ name tags:
- Pronouns to affirm identities and communicate how attendees would like to be addressed
- Language(s) spoken to help attendees find others who speak the same language(s)
We have also put together resources to support attendees who wish to take safety measures related to COVID-19. The following will be freely available at the registration table:
- COVID-19 tests
- KN-95 masks
- Hand sanitizer
In addition, written guidelines on actions to take in relation to COVID-19 are provided on the conference website: https://ismir2024.ismir.net/covid-19-guidelines.
Finally, with the General Chairs, Virtual Chair, and Conference Event Manager, we put together a discount program (separate from the Grants program) to support those who require financial assistance to attend the conference virtually. More information is provided on the conference Registration page: https://ismir2024.ismir.net/registration.
We’re excited to undertake these new initiatives prioritizing accessibility in order to lower barriers and make ISMIR 2024 more welcoming than ever before. Yet this is just the beginning; let's continue to advocate for greater accessibility and inclusivity in our community.
Future ISMIR Conference organizers can consider continuing the Accessibility Chair role to keep advancing this year’s initiatives. We also recognize that we have by no means tackled every angle of accessibility this year! Future organizers can consider new initiatives such as special seating arrangements for e.g., low-vision attendees, live captioning and American Sign Language (ASL) for sessions, dedicated onsite lactation and quiet rooms, and more.
Thank you to all of the attendees and organizers who have worked and collaborated with me to integrate these accessible practices.