# Understanding Visual Arts Experiences of Blind People

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.12687 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.12687/

## Key facts

- Cited by 9 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 30 Jan 2023.

## Built on by (most cited first, 9 of 9)

- ["We are at the mercy of others' opinion": Supporting Blind People in Recreational Window Shopping with AI-infused Technology](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.06611/) (2024)
- [Engaging with Children's Artwork in Mixed Visual-Ability Families](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.18874/) (2024)
- [Exploring the Needs of Practising Musicians in Co-Creative AI Through Co-Design](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.09055/) (2025)
- [How Users Who are Blind or Low Vision Play Mobile Games: Perceptions, Challenges, and Strategies](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.09866/) (2025)
- [Exploring Object Status Recognition for Recipe Progress Tracking in Non-Visual Cooking](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.03330/) (2025)
- [More than One Step at a Time: Designing Procedural Feedback for Non-visual Makeup Routines](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.03942/) (2025)
- [Unlocking Fair Use in the Generative AI Supply Chain: A Systematized Literature Review](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.00613/) (2024)
- [Beyond Descriptions: A Generative Scene2Audio Framework for Blind and Low-Vision Users to Experience Vista Landscapes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.27295/) (2026)
- [Bespoke Visual Assistance: What and How do Blind and Low-Vision People Create with Agentic Programming?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.21760/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Visual arts play an important role in cultural life and provide access to social heritage and self-enrichment, but most visual arts are inaccessible to blind people. Researchers have explored different ways to enhance blind people's access to visual arts (e.g., audio descriptions, tactile graphics). However, how blind people adopt these methods remains unknown. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 blind visual arts patrons to understand how they engage with visual artwork and the factors that influence their adoption of visual arts access methods. We further examined interview insights in a follow-up survey (N=220). We present: 1) current practices and challenges of accessing visual artwork in-person and online (e.g., Zoom tour), 2) motivation and cognition of perceiving visual arts (e.g., imagination), and 3) implications for designing visual arts access methods. Overall, our findings provide a roadmap for technology-based support for blind people's visual arts experiences.