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AccessibiliTY

Commitment to Accessibility & Inclusion

Spanish translation below / Español abajo

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At Fisterra Projects, diversity is life-sustaining and at the heart of our creative work, research, and advocacy. Accessibility and inclusion are central to our philosophy, enhancing every aspect of our programming. We celebrate what each unique body can achieve, actively fostering transformational experiences and meaningful connections through inclusive practices.

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We ensure comprehensive accessibility and inclusion through:

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Multilingual Accessibility:

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  • Event materials available in multiple languages (ASL, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese)

  • Interpretation services at all major events

  • Captioning and translation of key discussions

  • Fully bilingual event setups whenever possible

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Disability-Inclusive Features:

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  • Assisted listening devices

  • Mobility assistance and adaptive seating arrangements

  • Tactile art experiences

  • Sensory-friendly performances tailored to diverse needs

  • Audio descriptions and captioning for performances and workshops

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Continuous Improvement and Community Oversight:

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  • Regular accessibility training for staff and collaborators

  • Ongoing consultations with our Access Committee, which includes people with various disabilities advising programming and evaluation

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Our extensive commitment includes hiring certified DanceAbility teachers for over a decade, conducting integrated classes and workshop series in Austin, Dallas, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), and Albuquerque (New Mexico). We have also presented mixed-ability performances at the Austin Dance Festival, Accessibility Conferences, and site-specific "On Display" performances with Body Shift, Austin’s premier mixed-ability dance collective.

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For further details, to request accommodations, or to bring these inclusive initiatives to your community, please contact:

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Compromiso con la accesibilidad e inclusión

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Fisterra Projects considera que la diversidad es fundamental para la vida y está en el corazón mismo de nuestro trabajo creativo, investigación y defensa. La accesibilidad e inclusión son elementos centrales de nuestra filosofía, enriqueciendo cada aspecto de nuestra programación. Celebramos lo que cada cuerpo único puede lograr, fomentando activamente experiencias transformadoras y conexiones significativas a través de prácticas inclusivas.

 

Garantizamos accesibilidad e inclusión integral mediante:

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Accesibilidad multilingüe:

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  • Materiales del evento en varios idiomas (ASL, español, portugués, vietnamita)

  • Servicios de interpretación en todos los eventos principales

  • Subtitulación y traducción de discusiones clave

  • Eventos bilingües siempre que sea posible

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Acomodaciones inclusivas para personas con discapacidad:

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  • Dispositivos de escucha asistida

  • Asistencia en movilidad y adaptaciones de asientos

  • Experiencias artísticas táctiles

  • Presentaciones sensibles adaptadas a diversas necesidades

  • Descripciones auditivas y subtítulos en presentaciones y talleres

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Mejora continua y supervisión comunitaria:

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  • Capacitación regular sobre accesibilidad para nuestro personal y colaboradores

  • Consultas continuas con nuestro comité de accesibilidad compuesto por personas con diversas discapacidades

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Nuestra programación incluye clases integradas en la Escuela para Ciegos y Deficientes Visuales de Texas (TSBVI) con Osei Bonsu y en la Texas School for the Deaf. Por más de una década, hemos empleado a profesores certificados en DanceAbility en nuestras clases integradas y series de talleres en Austin, Dallas, Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) y Albuquerque (Nuevo México). También hemos participado en el Austin Dance Festival, conferencias sobre accesibilidad y presentaciones específicas con Body Shift, el principal colectivo de danza de habilidad mixta de Austin.

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Para obtener más detalles, solicitar adaptaciones o traer estas iniciativas inclusivas a su comunidad, contáctenos en:

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Commitment to Inclusive Music

ASL Interpretation at ACL & SXSW

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Mama Duke is dedicated to making live music accessible to Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Spanish-speaking audiences. Her performances at Austin City Limits (ACL) and SXSW have featured professional ASL interpreters, ensuring that Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing attendees can experience the energy and lyrical depth of her shows in real time.

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Additionally, Mama Duke provides Spanish and English closed captioning for her music videos and online performances, making her work inclusive for bilingual audiences and individuals with hearing impairments. Her intentional approach to accessibility in music demonstrates a commitment to breaking barriers in live performance and digital content, ensuring that all fans—regardless of language or ability—can fully engage with her art.

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This video sample showcases her performances with ASL interpretation, as well as her Spanish-captioned music videos, highlighting her leadership in creating equitable, multilingual, and fully accessible music experiences.

Institutional Marketing & Outreach Plan

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I. Core Marketing Philosophy

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We do not market isolated events.
We steward a citywide cultural access system.

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The Austin Brazilian Zouk & Lambada Cultural Heritage Project operates as a flagship heritage program within the Austin Social Dance Alliance, a coordinated network of studios, festivals, educators, veterans halls, & public-space partners stewarded by Fisterra Projects. Our marketing functions as shared civic infrastructure, allowing residents, visitors, & cultural tourists to encounter Austin’s social dance culture through multiple entry points rather than a single brand or venue.

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This approach ensures City investment amplifies an existing ecosystem rather than duplicating outreach.

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II. How we reach residents, visitors, & tourists

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Austin residents

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Residents encounter ABZL first through free public park practicas at Butler Park & Republic Square, promoted through Alliance calendars, neighborhood studios, trailhead signage, & partner networks. Messaging prioritizes clarity, free access, beginner welcome, multilingual instruction, & continuity across programs. From there, participants move naturally into studio classes & residencies across the Alliance network.

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Visitors & cultural tourists

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Visitors discover ABZL through a layered strategy:

✓ Listings with Visit Austin & Explore Austin
✓ Alliance-wide event calendars surfaced through hotels & downtown partners
✓ Artist-led amplification from international instructors traveling to Austin
✓ QR-coded visitor guides distributed near Lady Bird Lake, Republic Square, & hotel corridors

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Rather than advertising a single festival weekend, we position Austin as a destination for learning & return, encouraging longer stays & repeat visitation.

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Underserved communities

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Outreach to veterans, multilingual households, & blind & visually impaired dancers is led through trusted Alliance nodes, including Travis Post 76, bilingual instructors, & Texas School for the Blind collaborators. Marketing reads as invitation, not extraction, because it is carried by the same people who teach, host, & steward the spaces.

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IV. Promoting Austin as a cultural destination

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Through the Alliance, ABZL positions Austin within global Zouk & Lambada networks as a place where lineage is studied, shared, & sustained. Visiting artists supported by Osei Bonsu regularly publish Austin-based residencies to international audiences in Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Europe, & Asia. Content filmed in Austin’s parks, studios, & historic halls circulates globally, presenting the city as a cultural home rather than a tour stop.

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Visa sponsorships & extended artist residencies reinforce this narrative by enabling international artists to remain in Austin for months, expanding tourism, housing use, & local economic activity beyond festival dates.

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V. Marketing channels

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Digital infrastructure

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✓ atxzouk.com as the program hub, integrated into Austin Social Dance Alliance listings
✓ Quadrilingual event pages in EN, ES, PT, VI with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility
✓ Alliance-wide email distribution segmented by geography, experience level, & language

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Partner amplification

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✓ Cross-promotion with Alliance studios including Balance, Uptown, GoDance, & Rhythm House
✓ Downtown Austin Alliance & Trail Conservancy amplification tied to park programming
✓ Veteran-led outreach through Travis Post 76 networks

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Artist-led global reach

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International teaching artists collectively reach more than 1.5 million followers worldwide. Coordinated content kits ensure Austin residency footage, event links, & public access information circulate consistently across these networks.

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Physical presence

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✓ QR-coded signage at parks, trailheads, & civic spaces
✓ In-studio flyers & announcements across Alliance partners
✓ Hotel concierge one-sheets & visitor guides for free public classes

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VI. Equity, access, & language

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​All major marketing assets follow Alliance access standards:

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✓ Quadrilingual materials in English, Spanish, Portuguese, & Vietnamese
✓ Visible accessibility notes describing tactile mapping, guided partnering, & vibration-based rhythm tools
✓ Captioned video content & ASL information named upfront
✓ Clear language around cost, experience level, & what to expect

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Access is communicated as standard practice, not accommodation.

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VII. Measurement & impact

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We track outcomes across the Alliance ecosystem:

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✓ Attendance & repeat participation at public practicas
✓ Conversion from free programs into studio & festival participation
✓ Zip code & out-of-town data to document cultural tourism
✓ Language access usage & accessibility support requests

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These metrics demonstrate how City investment strengthens year-round cultural infrastructure, not one-time events.

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VIII. Why this model matters

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By situating ABZL within the Austin Social Dance Alliance under Fisterra Projects, this marketing strategy shows that:

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✓ Public funds amplify a functioning citywide network
✓ Cultural heritage is sustained through people, not branding
✓ Access, tourism, & equity are integrated rather than siloed
✓ Austin’s creative identity is strengthened through coordination & shared infrastructure

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This approach ensures Austin’s social dance culture remains visible, accessible, & globally connected while staying rooted in local public space & community care.

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info@fisterra.xyz

+1.512.779.0013

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P.O. Box 152134

Austin, TX, 78715

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1117 Delano St

Austin, TX, 78721

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