Universal Signs > Sponsors

Universal Signs was partly funded by tax-deductible contributions to Creative Access. Creative Access is the Greater Philadelphia’s advocacy and arts-service non-profit oganization dedicated to improving the quality of life of a diverse group of Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals, "mixed" Deaf/hearing families, and the general public since 1992. There are 350,000 Deaf and Hard of Hearing men, women, and children in the greater Philadelphia region alone. Creative Access’ programs and services reverse the historic picture of invisibility and social isolation of its minority constituency by using the arts for social change. Through significantly increasing visibility of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in cultural arenas, Creative Access enhances knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of Deaf culture and American Sign Language by providing "accessibility beyond the ramp."

Carol Finkle, executive director of Creative Access,
on the set of Universal Signs.

Creative Access is committed to two tenets: the arts belong to everyone, and communication is a basic human right. The advocacy and collaboration building of Creative Access ensure increased visibility, accessibility, opportunity, and inclusion of persons with hearing loss in the already rich and diverse arts of Greater Philadelphia.

Creative Access was founded in the of spring 1992 when a group of concerned individuals, parents, professionals, and artists (Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and hearing) identified that invisibility is the root cause of stereotypes about the Deaf, or any minority culture. It was then decided that using the full realm of the arts would successfully alter this invisibility by bringing Creative Access’ constituency out of the shadows and into the mainstream community—as patron and performer.

The work of changing the face of accessibility to the arts in Philadelphia began immediately, with Creative Access’ first collaboration with an established theatre company as it prepared for a full production of Antol Fugard’s My Children, My Africa. Creative Access’ efforts resulted in 135 Deaf students, staff, and families attending a sign language interpreted performance alongside 1,700 hearing students from across the region. The “Theater Access Project” was born. Since that time, four other Cultural Access Projects have been established enabling the anticipation and thrill of movies, museum tours, dance and theatre to the lives of thousands who previously existed in what the Deaf refer to as "the dark ages” of life without art.