Dear Friends,
We’re so excited to welcome Dani Rose as our new Director of Cultural Access at Open Door Arts! Dani's justice-driven approach, lived experience, and deep expertise in cultural accessibility make her uniquely suited to lead this growing and vital part of our work. From her roots in the cultural sector to her commitment to systems change, Dani will guide our efforts to support organizations across the country in becoming more accessible, stewarding tools like the Accessibility Self-Assessment and the forthcoming Arts Access Hub, and developing innovative systems and strategies to move the work and the field forward.
We’re honored to have her on our team, and thrilled for you to get to know her. In her own words, here’s Dani!
- Nicole Agois, Managing Director
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Hello!
It’s a true honor to introduce myself to the Open Door Arts community. I’m deeply grateful to join a team of innovative, thoughtful leaders who embody the values of disability justice and center authenticity in all they do.
My name is Dani Rose (she/her). I’m a white, queer, AFAB brunette with dimples and a big smile. I’m a Disability Rights advocate, certified ADA Coordinator, and accessibility strategist focused on advancing outrageous service, radical inclusion, and cultural transformation. My approach is rooted in justice and fueled by creative enthusiasm, with a mission to remove barriers so that arts, culture, heritage and live entertainment experiences are fully and intentionally inclusive.
As a proud neurodivergent professional, I bring a balance of specialized knowledge and lived experience to every project, guided by the queer disabled advocates who come before me. As cultural changemaker Alice Wong says, “Access is love.” For me it’s a radical act of care, connection, and joy. Having worked across nearly every facet of the nonprofit arts and cultural sector, I support organizations in shifting not only their policies, practices, and procedures, but also perspectives to be more accessible and equitable to the disability community. I balance fierce advocacy with operational pragmatism and bring a cross-functional lens to support sustainable, impactful change. As the incredible Andraéa LaVant says “Access is a starting point—not the finish line.” I strive to reframe access as an internal cultural element, and as an institutional daily practice.
I am so honored and so proud to be joining the Open Door Arts team as the Director of Cultural Access, and I am delighted that in this new role I will lead the development and delivery of tools, programs, and partnerships that help cultural organizations become more accessible and inclusive of disabled people. A key part of this work includes stewarding The Arts and Culture Access Hub, our new groundbreaking database of access information launching in August 2025, as well as a focus on the Accessibility Self Assessment where I will serve as a cheerleader, facilitator, trainer, and technical support—using data, feedback, and sector insight to shape responsive, relevant solutions. Supporting organizations as they weave access into their daily practice, evolving from introspective evaluation to intentional inclusion. As Mia Mingus so powerfully reminds us: “Access is not the point. The point is justice. Access is the vehicle.”
Community connection is also essential to access work - and I want to hear from you! Whether it’s to share ideas, ask questions, explore a collaboration, or just say hello, please reach out. You can connect with me directly at