The final session of the lecture series “Un/Inviting Gestures: Politics of Welcoming and Withholding in Art and Culture” focused on audio description as an archive of multisensory experience. Julieta Jacobi, a doctoral candidate whose research focuses on “Multisensory Appropriations of Urban Space,” had invited two guests: Manuela Schemm, a blind audio description writer from Munich, and Anna Laura Wieczorek, assistant professor of Applied Dance Studies and Elementary Music and Dance Education at the Orff Institute, whose research focuses on the intersection of theory and practice, scores and notation, dance and archives, aesthetics of access, and dance and audio description.

Audio description involves acoustically describing what is being perceived. It makes content more accessible, particularly for blind and visually impaired people. In the context of film, dance, and performance, audio description is increasingly being integrated into the artistic creative process. This approach is referred to as the Aesthetics of Access.

During a discussion between Manuela Schemm and Anna Wieczorek, visitors learnt about different types of audio description. Afterwards, they went for a guided walk whilst wearing darkness-simulating glasses. Building on this experience, the participants created their own audio descriptions. Finally, the whole group discussed what is needed for a multisensory archive and whether audio descriptions could fulfil this function.

Florian Brand from Radiofabrik Salzburg was also present. He will broadcast a radio report on the event in August as part of his programme ‘Flow on Air’.