In Vermeer’s 16th century oil painting, a milkmaid pouring milk into a jug. She wears digitally-added pink outline of headphones. At the top left is the logo, Describe Everything. A large white microphone icon and colourful soundwave graphics appear over a gradient background.

‘Describe Everything’ podcast

Describe Everything is a podcast with audio descriptions of artworks from around the world. Everyone should have a chance to experience artwork. Through detailed visual descriptions, Describe Everything aims to make lots of artwork more accessible for art lovers who are blind or have low vision; people who get visually overstimulated; or anyone who wants a slower, more mindful way to enjoy art.

JFM sunshine logo mark

About the grant

Artwork is for everybody. Everybody deserves a chance to experience artwork, but also to know enough background information and visual information to have discussions with their friends, to learn more about the world, and to be inspired to make their own art.

Podcast producer, Meg Riley, explores historical works, but also partners with contemporary galleries to showcase their current exhibitions. The additional funding will also go towards guest describers, including First Nations peoples, who will describe Aboriginal artworks.

This grant will enable Describe Everything to pay for user testing of the podcast and its website, to make sure it is a pleasant and streamlined experience for everyone.

It will also ensure that input can be sought from blind describers and users, while exploring difficult topics such as:

  • Who gets to decide what goes into a description?
  • What makes a description worthwhile?
  • How do you turn the visual, verbal?
Photo by Bri Hammond. Meg, a short-haired brunette wearing a black shirt, smiles at the camera.

“As a disabled arts worker, working on my audio descriptions from home gives me an accessible pathway to work. With this funding I can spend time growing my podcast, my audio description skills and my business skills.”

Meg Riley, podcast producer

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Other grants

JFA Purple Orange offer small grants to support people with disability eligible for our programs to improve their quality of life. This is usually through the purchase of items that provide people with more independence in their day to day lives or increase engagement in the communities of their choice. Previous grants include household appliances, digital devices, equipment for hobbies and exercise, and support for holiday travel and accommodation. Eligibility for these programs is limited so please check before you apply.

Acknowledgement of Country

JFM Fund would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia. We work on many Aboriginal lands, including Kaurna land where our head office is located. We extend our respect to all Aboriginal peoples on other lands on which we work, live and play. We are committed to listening, recognising the past and walking alongside First Nations peoples, and building respectful relationships that support self-determination and a shared future.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website may contain images or names of people who have passed away.