Accessibility Statement for Gardening Barbican

This accessibility statement describes how Gardening Barbican and our Barbican gardening resources work to meet accessibility standards. We aim to make every aspect of Gardening at the Barbican accessible to as many visitors as possible. This document explains our commitment to WCAG 2.1 AA compliance, the specific measures we take, and how you can request alternative formats or assistance if you need them. We publish this statement to be transparent about our accessibility practices and continuous improvements.

We use semantic HTML, clear heading structure, and landmarks so screen readers can navigate the Barbican garden information easily. Our site and venue content are organized to support screen-reader support, including programmatic labels and alt text for images. We also provide transcripts for recorded talks and descriptive text for visual materials where practical. Where third-party content appears, we make reasonable efforts to ensure that it meets similar accessibility expectations.

Keyboard navigation is a core focus for garden enthusiasts who rely on non-pointer inputs. Gardening Barbican implements visible focus indicators, logical tab order, and accessible forms so visitors can use the site entirely by keyboard. Chart controls, event sign-ups, and guided tour booking interfaces are built or configured to respond to keyboard commands and to support assistive technologies.

We have tested for contrast, scalable text, and predictable layouts to ensure readability for a wide range of users. Text can be resized without loss of content or functionality, and we avoid color as the sole means of conveying important information. Our color schemes and interface components are tested against contrast ratios required for WCAG 2.1 AA.

Navigation within the Barbican garden resources follows a consistent pattern: skip links to bypass repeated content, clear breadcrumb trails, and accessible menus. We use ARIA only when necessary and ensure ARIA roles and properties enhance, rather than confuse, assistive technologies. All interactive elements have accessible names and states so that screen readers and keyboard users receive accurate feedback.

Accessible content extends to downloadable resources: PDFs and other documents are checked for accessibility, tagged properly, and provided in accessible formats on request. Event information, plant lists, and workshop materials are prepared with semantic structure and heading hierarchies to support screen-reader navigation and easy comprehension.

We carry out regular accessibility testing that includes automated scans, manual testing with keyboard-only navigation, and evaluations with screen readers such as NVDA and VoiceOver. We also incorporate testing with users with lived accessibility needs when practical to uncover real-world barriers and prioritize fixes. Our continuous improvement cycle documents issues, tracks resolutions, and updates internal guidelines for inclusive design.

To help visitors use our physical spaces and online resources, Gardening Barbican publishes practical information like accessible routes, step-free entrances, seating, and toilet accessibility in descriptive text formats. We strive to make both the Barbican garden venue information and online gardening materials simple to find and easy to understand. We welcome requests for alternative formats such as large print, audio, or simplified text.

If you have difficulty using any part of the Gardening Barbican experience or need information in an alternative format, please contact our accessibility team using the accessibility request channel on this site or the accessibility option available where you found this statement. We aim to respond promptly and to resolve accessibility requests within a reasonable time frame, typically within 10 business days. We appreciate reports of issues, which help us improve.