Accessibility

ACNI attempts to provide the following services to increase the accessibility of our online content:

• Clear layout and design
• Resize text functionality
• All text content is readable and understandable
• Available to view on mobile devices

How accessible this website is

While we endeavour to ensure all users have the ability to fully access our online resources, we are aware that our website does not fully meet current government accessibility standards. A website development project is currently underway, which we hope will deliver significant improvements to accessibility by April 2023, and further improvements thereafter. Our aim is continuous improvement and we hope this development process will bring ACNI’s online presence into line with current industry and legal standards.

Feedback and contact information

If you need information on this website in a different format, please contact info@artscouncil-ni.org

and we will make all reasonable arrangements we can. We will consider your request and get back to you in 14 days.

Reporting accessibility problems with this website

ACNI is aware of the current issues with our online presence, however we are always open to further suggestion which can be submitted to us by email at: info@artscounil-ni.org

Enforcement procedure

The Equalities Commission for Northern Ireland (ECNI) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint. www.equalityni.org/complaints

Compliance status

This website is not compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard. The current website does not comply due to issues with the legacy software and the out-dated technology the website was built on. A website redevelopment project is currently underway. We hope to deliver significant improvements to website accessibility by April 2023, and further improvements thereafter in 2023 – 2025.

Non-accessible content

• Images do not have a text alternative and those using a screen reader cannot access the information,
• Unable to change colours, contrast levels and fonts,
• No text to speech option
• Pre-recorded videos do not have captions or sign language alternatives,
• Unable to navigate the website using a keyboard,
• The top-level drop-down navigation, is not fully available,
• The image carousel on homepage cannot be paused or stopped,
• PDF documents are not fully accessible to screen reader software.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

• Disproportionate burden
• Images do not have a text alternative, so those using a screen reader cannot access the information,
• Unable to change colours, contrast levels and fonts,
• No text to speech option,
• Pre-recorded videos do not have captions or sign language alternatives,
• Unable to navigate the website using a keyboard,
• The top-level, drop-down navigation, is not fully available,
• Image carousel on homepage cannot be paused or stopped,
• PDF documents are not fully accessible to screen reader software.

Currently our website is hampered by legacy software and the out-dated or defunct technologies embedded in it. The above issues cannot be fully resolved without the redevelopment of the ACNI website, a project which is currently underway.

The first stage of redevelopment is due to complete by April 2023 when we hope to substantially improve the website’s accessibility rating from its current level. Subject to the availability of further resources, ACNI plans to continue developing and improving website accessibility.

Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

PDFs and other documents

Some of our PDFs and Word documents are essential to providing our services. For example, we have PDFs with information on how users can access our services, and forms published as Word documents. From March 2023, we plan to either convert these or replace them with accessible HTML pages.

The accessibility regulations do not require ACNI to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they’re not essential to providing our services. From April 2023, any new PDFs or Word documents ACNI publishes will meet accessibility standards.

Live video

We do not plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.

How we tested this website

We use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines V2.1 level A and level AA to test how accessible GOV.UK is.

What we are doing to improve accessibility

Currently a redevelopment of our website is underway, for completion April 2023, with further development work to be undertaken 2023-25, subject to available resources. Included in the website project brief is the ambition to improve accessibility and provide a site that is WGAG 2.1.AA compliant.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 28/10/2021. It was last reviewed on 20/01/2023