Digital accessibility: A commitment to continuous improvement

Digital accessibility isn’t just about meeting guidelines when you launch a new website. It’s not a project with an end date – it’s a continuous process that should be at the forefront of any digital experience. To embed real change that benefits your audience and your organisation, accessibility needs to become part of your culture, not just your compliance.

In our recently published white paper, created in partnership with Equal Entry, we discuss the immense value of creating accessible digital experiences for organisations and their users, using the Perelman Performing Arts Centre (PAC NYC) as a best practice case study. Their journey illustrates that accessibility isn’t a destination but an ongoing process – one built on learning, testing and collaboration to truly meet the needs of diverse audiences.

PAC NYC demonstrates that accessibility isn’t limited by scale or budget. The same principles that shaped their inclusive digital presence can be applied in any organisation, large or small. Here, we share key insights and practical takeaways from the paper:

Accessibility benefits everyone

Accessibility doesn’t just serve disabled users – it improves experiences for everyone. It broadens reach, strengthens engagement and enhances usability across the board.

PAC NYC embraced this idea from the beginning. As a new organisation, they made sure that inclusive and accessible practices were built in from the ground up and ensured these values were reflected both online and offline. Accessibility is part of the foundation and is never treated as an afterthought.

• Accessibility is universal – Improvements like clearer link text, consistent headings and better keyboard focus benefit all users, not just those with disabilities.

• Embedding accessibility early – Making sure accessibility is built into the development process from the beginning ensures you’re putting your audience first, and they’re not an afterthought. It also reduces reactive and costly reworks later down the line.

Evolve with your audience

Are the needs of your audience reflected in your digital experiences? Even if thoughtfully designed, gaps can emerge simply because accessibility standards continue to evolve and audiences continue to grow.

What was accessible five years ago may not be today. That’s why it’s vital to regularly seek feedback through user testing and be open to changing and adapting your digital product.

Small fixes, big impact

It is easy to get caught up in a compliance checklist, but some of the most powerful accessibility improvements are simple, practical fixes. Accessibility doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective.

• Screenreader only labels – Improving key information, like seat titles, to provide accurate and detailed information so someone using a screen reader can make a more informed decision.

• Keyboard focus – Subtle improvements to the focus indication of a website can make a big difference to accessibility and the overall user experience. The ability for a user to navigate intuitively and see exactly where they are on a webpage.

• Language matters – Replacing vague link text with meaningful descriptions improves clarity and reduces cognitive load.

• Efficiency is inclusion – Reducing the number of keystrokes or ‘tab’ presses makes interactions faster and fairer for all users.

Small improvements like these can make a huge difference to usability – but true inclusion happens when accessibility becomes part of everyday processes and culture.

Accessibility as an ongoing practice

One of the most important lessons from our work with PAC NYC was that accessibility isn’t a one-time fix. Like good artistic practice, it evolves, deepens and responds to audience needs over time. It’s a commitment to continuous improvement.

PAC NYC has since embedded accessibility into every layer of their digital work – from content workflows and audit processes to future planning. Whether it’s adding questions to support accessible seating during checkout, refining link text on older pages or ensuring image alt text is meaningful and accurate across the site, the work continues.

By treating accessibility as a core value rather than a checklist, PAC NYC has created a more inclusive online experience, demonstrating that when access is built into the process, digital spaces become more welcoming, more usable and more human.

You can explore more insights and practical guidance in our accessibility white paper. It takes a closer look at how arts organisations can create inclusive digital experiences and how you can apply those lessons to your own work.