Tactile Art

Pictures, illustrations, sculptures, and multimodal compositions that are created to be accessible through the sense of touch, either crafted intentionally for touch-focused experiences or made accessible through tactile or haptic properties. Tactile art is distinguished from tactile graphics in that it is not primarily created to represent data or convey information, but rather to provide aesthetic, experiential, or expressive experiences through touch. People who are blind or have low vision often face barriers to engaging with tactile art, including societal stigma around touching objects in public settings, lack of educational opportunities in art interpretation through touch, and the scarcity of tactile art in museums and galleries.