Equipment Loans

Produce accessible events with our equipment.

A group of people standing and talking in front of the projector and television caption kits.

Lay the Groundwork for Accessibility

Want to produce accessible events, but don’t have the budget for equipment? We offer free short-term equipment loans to Chicago-area cultural organizations. Learn more about how the equipment works in your venue and begin your outreach efforts today. Budget for your own equipment in the future, after you’ve demonstrated to colleagues that accessibility efforts are possible in your own organization.

If you’re from a cultural organization in the Chicago area, fill out a request below. Email Equip@CulturalAccessCollab.org for any questions. You can also check out our Accessible Equipment Loan Program Handbook for a detailed explanation of the borrowing process, or watch the archived Equipment Loan Program How-To program on our YouTube Page.

Our Accessible Equipment Loan Program is made possible in part by the PERT Foundation and Michael and Mona Heath Fund. Special thanks to Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.

What Past Collaborators Have Said

“[Cultural Access Collab] has provided invaluable support through free workshops, organizational tools, equipment loans, and always being a safe and welcoming space to ask for help.

The arts community in Chicago is becoming more for people with disabilities (and everyone) each day thanks to the amazing work [Cultural Access Collab] does!”

– Theater Administrator

How to Request Equipment

If you are an artist or cultural organization in Chicago interested in borrowing our equipment, please click the links below to start the request process and check out our Equipment Loan Handbook.

Click here to fill out our Equipment Loan Request Form.

Apply to Borrow Equipment

We’ve updated our Equipment Loan Registration Form and would love your feedback! If you have thoughts on our new application process, please email them to Equip@CulturalAccessCollab.org with the subject line “Form Feedback” so we can continue to make the Equipment Loan process that much better!

Click here to view our Accessible Equipment Loan Program Handbook.

Check Out Our Equipment Loan Handbook

We are currently in the process of updating our Equipment Loan Handbook. Whether you are a regular user or someone checking out the Handbook for the first time, we would love to here from you! Please email any feedback on the Handbook to Equip@CulturalAccessCollab.org with the subject line “Handbook Feedback” so we can continue to make the Equipment Loan process that much better!

Pick Up and Drop Off

Equipment Loan Pickup and drop off is at Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
2430 N Cannon Drive.
Chicago, IL

For additional information or questions, email Equip@CulturalAccessCollab.org.

Equipment We Offer

Explore below to learn what’s in our kits and who benefits from the equipment.

Stationary Audio Description Kit

Stationary Audio Description Kit:

  • Benefits visitors who are blind or have low vision in a stationary performance or lecture setting.
  • Facilitates delivery of live audio description by a trained Audio Describer
  • Includes stationary FM transmitter, headsets and portable induction hearing “neck” loops, and stenographer mask.
  • NOTE: Trained Audio Describer not included.
CLICK HERE TO BORROW THIS EQUIPMENT

Stationary Assistive Listening System:

  • Benefits guests who are hard of hearing in a stationary performance or lecture setting.
  • When connected to your organization’s PA system, transmits mic’d sound directly to headsets (or neck loops) and earphones worn by individual audience members.
  • Includes microphone options for single speaker events without a sound system.
  • Includes stationary and portable FM transmitters, headsets, and portable induction hearing “neck” loops.
CLICK HERE TO BORROW THIS EQUIPMENT

Stationary Assistive Listening System

Portable FM System

Portable FM System:

  • Benefits visitors who have hearing loss in a tour setting, or for venues without an amplification system.
  • This portable FM system can also be used to deliver audio description narration during mobile tours and events.
  • Includes portable microphone and transmitter, headsets, portable induction hearing “neck” loops.
CLICK HERE TO BORROW THIS EQUIPMENT

DIY Captioning Equipment:

  • Benefits visitors who are D/deaf or hard of hearing in a stationary venue.
  • Your organization may choose between either a digital projector and screen or one to two 43″ flat-screen televisions — whatever best supports your presentation.
  • Does NOT include a computer for connecting to a projector or flat-screen. That equipment must be provided by the borrowing organization. 
CLICK HERE TO BORROW THIS EQUIPMENT

DIY Captioning Equipment