Accessibility

BAX recognizes the varied and complex nature of access and disability in the arts, education, and community and cultural organizing. We are committed to meeting people where they are in terms of access needs and are actively working to expand physical, sensory, and digital accessibility across all our programs and spaces.

Our Locations

BAX currently operates out of two spaces:
– 421 5th Avenue in Park Slope (our longtime home)
– The BAX Annex at 80 Hanson Place in Downtown Brooklyn / Fort Greene

Each location offers distinct access features. Please read below for details.

421 5th Avenue (Park Slope)

BAX’s original location is housed on the second and third floors of a building that currently has no elevator or ramp access. As such, this location is not wheelchair accessible. We recognize the limitation this places on participation and are committed to a long-term vision of making this site fully accessible.

Staircase Details:

  • 44 front steps from street to 3rd floor

  • Step width: 44–46 inches (varies slightly due to architecture and banister placement)

  • 4in x 42in 80-grit black grip tape with reflective glow-in-the-dark stripping

  • Staircase is divided as follows:

    • 4 steps to the Community Board Landing

    • 12 steps to the Mezzanine Landing

    • 8 steps to the Reception Desk

    • 12 steps to the BAX Logo Banner landing

    • 8 steps to the 3rd floor

  • A bench is located between the 1st and 2nd floors for resting

Amenities:

  • Two non-gendered bathrooms on each floor

  • Dressing rooms

  • Filtered cold/hot water fountain

BAX Annex at 80 Hanson Place (Downtown Brooklyn / Fort Greene)

The BAX Annex is located on the ground floor of a wheelchair-accessible building, with elevator access and ADA-compliant restrooms. This space supports BAX’s expanded programming and reflects our commitment to increasing physical accessibility for our community.

We aim to host as many public programs as possible at this location to ensure greater access and inclusion.

Programmatic Accessibility (Both Locations & Online)

Across both sites—and online—we incorporate universal design principles in our digital and communications strategies. We provide, to the best of our capacity and budget, depending on the event:

  • ASL interpretation, CART, Alt-text, or auto-transcription upon request

  • Fidgets, earplugs, and other assistive devices for students and artists

  • Livestreams of performances, if artists are in agreement

BAX is committed to co-creating accessible environments with the communities we serve, and we welcome access requests via email or phone. We believe in transparency and accountability and are working actively toward a more accessible and just future.

Education & Disability Justice

BAX’s youth education programming is shaped in collaboration with disabled artists and specialists, centering equitable learning for children with varied needs and abilities. Our teaching artists receive ongoing professional development in disability justice, antiracist pedagogy, trauma-informed practice, and culturally responsive facilitation.

We believe in collective caretaking—supporting not only each child but also their family—while building community-centered experiences that affirm difference and belonging.

Practice Lab & Disability Artistry

As part of our Practice Lab, BAX has proudly supported a growing ecosystem of disability artistry through artist-led initiatives including:

  • ASSEMBLE: Co-Creating Disability Dance (Elisabeth Motley)

  • Cuéntame DJ Cohort for Disabled-Queer artists (Connor Roach & Ryan Roach)

  • ROTATIONS (Yo-Yo Lin & Pelenakeke Brown)

  • D.R.E.A.M. – Disability, Radicality, Embodiment, and Access for Makers (Perel)

  • Access Artistry Conversation & Learning Circle (Kevin Gotkin & Madison Zalopany)

  • Collaborative residencies with the CUNY Dance Initiative, including support for disabled artist Anna Gichan

These interlocking programs offer a platform for artistic experimentation, cultural stewardship, and critical access practices—expanding how BAX lives into disability justice across our internal culture and the wider performance field.

Check out BAX’s 2023 Framing Disability Justice site to learn more.