HARBORTOWN CULTURAL DISTRICT
Accessibility Statement
Last Updated: April 26, 2026
The Harbortown Cultural District is committed to ensuring that our website and our physical spaces are accessible to all visitors, including people with disabilities. We believe that Gloucester’s cultural life should be open to everyone, and we work to remove barriers to participation wherever possible.
Our Commitment
We strive to ensure that harbortownculturaldistrict.org conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at the AA level. These guidelines provide a framework for making web content more accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments.
What We’re Doing
We are taking the following steps to ensure accessibility on our Site:
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Using sufficient color contrast between text and background elements throughout the Site
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Providing descriptive alt text for images, including artwork and event photography
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Ensuring that all interactive elements (links, buttons, forms) are keyboard-navigable
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Using clear heading structure and semantic HTML to support screen readers
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Providing text alternatives for non-text content where possible
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Designing forms with clear labels and instructions
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Avoiding content that flashes more than three times per second
Third-Party Content
Our Site includes content from third-party services, including embedded maps, calendar widgets, and links to external websites. While we choose third-party tools with accessibility in mind, we cannot guarantee the accessibility of external content or linked websites. If you encounter an accessibility barrier on a linked site, we encourage you to contact that organization directly.
Physical Accessibility
The Harbortown Cultural District encompasses downtown Gloucester, which includes a mix of historic and modern buildings. While many partner venues and public spaces are ADA-accessible, some older buildings may have limited accessibility. We are working with our partners to improve physical access across the district.
Key accessibility features of the district include:
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Flat, walkable terrain throughout the core downtown area
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ADA-accessible entrances at all public buildings and most partner venues
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Accessible public restrooms at the Visitors Center and Sawyer Free Library
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Accessible parking spaces throughout the downtown area
For specific accessibility questions about a venue or event, please contact us in advance and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.
Events Accessibility
We aim to make all District events as accessible as possible. This includes:
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Choosing accessible venues when possible
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Providing seating at outdoor events
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Welcoming service animals at all events
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Considering sensory sensitivities in event planning
If you need accommodations to attend a District event, please contact us at least one week in advance so we can make appropriate arrangements.
Known Limitations
We recognize that full accessibility is an ongoing effort. Some areas where we are actively working to improve include:
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Adding more detailed accessibility information to individual partner listings in our directory
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Improving keyboard navigation on interactive elements such as maps and image galleries
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Providing captions or transcripts for future video and audio content
We regularly review our Site for accessibility issues and are committed to addressing them as they are identified.
Feedback
We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our Site and our physical spaces. If you encounter an accessibility barrier, have difficulty accessing any content, or have suggestions for improvement, please contact us:
Harbortown Cultural District
City of Gloucester, Massachusetts
Email: info@harbortownculturaldistrict.org
Website: harbortownculturaldistrict.org
We aim to respond to accessibility feedback within five business days and to resolve reported issues as quickly as possible.
Regulatory Compliance
As an entity operating in partnership with the City of Gloucester, the District is subject to applicable federal and state accessibility requirements, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act where applicable. The City of Gloucester’s ADA Coordinator can be reached through the City’s main office for additional accessibility concerns related to municipal services.Events may be modified, postponed, or cancelled due to weather, public safety concerns, or other circumstances beyond our control.