Marcus Dickey Horley, Curator, Access Projects, Tate Modern

As one of Britain’s most popular visitor attractions, Tate Modern receives over five million visitors a year. Marcus Dickey Horley, Curator of Access Projects and Visitor Experience Manager, works to ensure that Tate’s building meets the access needs of all visitors and that Tate provides a programme of events and services for disabled people.

Marcus works with disability organisations to engage disabled people from all backgrounds and with a wide range of access requirements. He’s developed an extensive programme of innovative, cost-effective events for disabled visitors, their friends and families, enabling disabled visitors to actively participate in the UK’s cultural life.

Marcus chairs Tate’s Access Advisory Group, a group of disabled visitors who act as critical friends to Tate. He works closely with the members of the Access Advisory Group to understand the particular needs of disabled visitors and to ensure Tate constantly improves its provision for disabled audiences.

Marcus collaborates with a number of disability organisations, e.g. Mencap, Sense, to provide accessible services to disabled people with a wide range of conditions and impairments. He works with many other teams in Tate to ensure that all staff engage respectfully with disabled visitors. He also advises other museums and galleries on programming accessible events.

Marcus chairs the Access Advisory Group (AAG), a group of disabled visitors who meet regularly to act as critical friends to Tate. The AAG reviews upcoming projects to ensure that they meet the access requirements of disabled people. Recently, the AAG has successfully lobbied for changes to Tate’s new website, advised on the staging of an exhibition involving flashing lights, and made a substantial impact into the design for the Tate Britain Millbank Project.

Marcus takes an inclusive, collaborative and respectful approach to all his work and has been successful not only in providing high-quality services to Tate’s disabled visitors but in raising the profile of access and disability throughout the organisation.

Sadly, there are currently disproportionately few disabled visitors to arts institutions. Marcus’s pioneering work breaks down the barriers preventing disabled people from accessing museums and galleries to help make Tate open to all.