Impact Evaluation in Arts and Project Management
Under Tewa’s grant project, the workshop on “Impact Evaluation in the Arts and Project Management,” led by expert facilitator Nischal Oli, was held. The participants from Blind Rocks delved into critical topics such as risk analysis, project management impacts, and effective execution strategies. The session covered various types of project impacts: short-term (activity-oriented), medium-term (action-oriented), and long-term (society-wide)
A key component of the workshop was the Theory of Change (ToC) exercise, where participants learned to design and evaluate organizational activities through strategic planning. This approach not only helped craft robust project plans but also proved beneficial for personal development, according to feedback from attendees. The workshop envisions an anticipated enhancement of the project management skills and implementation strategies of the team members.
In light of the workshop, Blind Rocks! was fortunate enough to get the weekly mentoring sessions given by Nischal sir, which is ongoing. The session encompasses guidance from the mentor on projects and strategies of the organization.
Impact Evaluation and Case Story Writing Workshop
Under the Tewa grant project, “Impact Evaluation and Case Story Writing Workshop” led by expert Dr. Bikram Timilsena, was held. This workshop opened doors to achieving several organizational milestones based on the impact stories of the members of Blind Rocks! Participants gained valuable skills in measuring outcomes and impacts, analyzing data, and creating compelling narratives that highlight their successes.
The narratives discussed in the workshop were instrumental in marketing, fundraising, and advocacy efforts. With learning to craft impact stories, Blind Rocks! team decided to publish one impact story every month which can create an influential base for many people.
Blind Rocks! Meet International Guests
Guests from Germany, Veronika Gayer, and Cambodia, Reet, made a visit to Blind Rocks! The team of Blind Rocks! managed to captivate the guests with their backgrounds and talents. Veronika and Reet’s constant prompting and joining the acts are evidence to them being completely observed in the performances of Blind Rockers.
A positive tone was set for the day immediately with Blind Rocks! welcoming the guests with their theme song. And through the introductory round, Veronica and Reet were already struck by the academic and professional backgrounds of Blind Rockers. Later, while sharing their thoughts, they said that it is the most unique group that is constantly at work, performing different activities and not just giving lectures. “Some are outstanding musicians, some are dancers, some act, and some are tech enthusiasts. This is impressive.”
Veronica and Reet’s impressions of Blind Rocks! came out of the dance performances done by Samjhana Rijal, Samjhana Shrestha, and Barma, guitar played by Gagan Ale, along with songs sung by Sami Lawati, Sagar Nepal, and other group members. Reet couldn’t take off his camera throughout the performances and Veronika couldn’t help but join the group dances by the end of the day.
The team of Blind Rocks! conveyed their boost of confidence after the session. With each session as such, there is an upliftment in the communication and interaction skills of Blind Rockers.
Blind Rocks! at Theatres
Blind Rocks! believes that engaging blind individuals in theater promotes inclusion in the arts while advocating for greater accessibility among audiences and artists.
Integrating those principles, Blind Rocks! brought its team to watch a play at Mandala Theatre, marking the first theatrical experience for many Blind Rockers. The play, “Mekhi Danda,” directed by Anil Subba, received mixed reviews, with attendees noting the absence of audio description but praising the content and the accessible environment of the theatre. Blind Rocks! was later invited by Kunja Theatre to watch “Kartabya,” which acknowledged the inclusion of people with disabilities, boosting the self-esteem of the Blind Rockers. However, Blind Rocks! voiced for audio description and educated the theatre team and other organizations present there on audio description.
Blind Rocks’ third visit was to Kausi Theatre for “Kaacho Dhaago,” where the gradual pace and well-crafted story were appreciated, although they still missed key elements due to the lack of audio description. This led the team to voice their concerns publicly and personally with the artists and theatre team.
Sristi KC at Unlimited Festival
The founder/president of Blind Rocks!, Sristi KC was invited to the Unlimited Festival 2024 held at South Bank Center, London. The festival embraced thoughtfully designed performances, panel discussions, and interactive activities that highlighted the importance of inclusivity in arts. It showcased the incredible talent of disabled artists and activists from around the globe ensuring accessible participation of the visually impaired and hearing impaired audiences including audio description, sign language interpretation, and subtitles projection.
Such events that give a vision of a world where art belongs to everyone are significant, especially for a country like Nepal where art is perceived as a luxury. Blind Rock! has been on a mission to mainstream art into the lives of blind people. The vision alignment on this festival opened influential doors to immersing into practical and systematic advocacy for accessible art.
Erasmus Scholarship Orientation Program for Persons with Disabilities
Erasmus Nepal partnered with Blind Rocks! to conduct a disability-inclusive workshop titled “Erasmus Scholarship Orientation Program for Persons with Disabilities.” This first-of-its-kind Erasmus Roadshow aimed to promote the scholarship across Nepal while addressing the infrastructural barriers that necessitated virtual sessions for attendees with disabilities. Sristi KC, founder of Blind Rocks! and Nepal’s first disabled Erasmus Scholarship holder, expressed her hope to inspire others from the disability community to apply. She said, “I’m glad to be the first one, but I don’t want to be the last one.” Her determination to encourage more people from the disability community to apply for such transformative scholarship led this collaborative event to become practical and insightful based on experience. Besides, the workshop covered the application process, Europass CV writing, and life in Europe for people with disabilities. Approximately 70 participants, including those who are visually impaired, physically disabled, and hearing impaired, engaged in the interactive virtual event.
Audio Description Workshop
Blind Rocks organized an Audio Description Workshop facilitated by Madhusudan Ghimire, in charge of the Talking Video Library at Blind Rocks! Despite being common internationally, audio description remains an underexplored topic in Nepal, even among visually impaired individuals. The workshop aimed to raise awareness about Virtual Media Accessibility and covered various aspects of audio description, including its history, global practices, applications for both visually impaired and sighted individuals, and the utility of the audio descriptive content.
The workshop commenced with a short note of welcome and theme significance by the founder and president of Blind Rocks! Sristi KC. Further, Madhusudan evidentially addressed the relevance throughout the presentation, showcasing varied examples from around the world.
All in all, the participation at this virtual session was strong, and valuable insights were gathered, with attendees praising Blind Rocks’ work on audio-descriptive music videos. The feedback also highlighted the cultural impact of audio description and the urgent need to educate the visual media industry of Nepal on such a significant topic.
Blind Rocks is a non-profit organization that advocates for the rights of disabled people using art and adventure as tools. We focus on interpersonal development, mental health and confidence building, especially of people with visual disabilities.