Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara has announced that on Tuesday, February 7^th, he will kick-off the first Sensory-Friendly and Autism Awareness Day at Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience in Schenectady. Santabarbara will also discuss the inclusivity of sensory-friendly events and promoting autism acceptance during a press conference at the event.

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience is a 360-degree digital art exhibition in Schenectady that allows visitors to step into the world of legendary Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. This unique virtual reality (VR) experience features digital displays, sound and lighting effects and projection mapping.^[1]

Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, whose son Michael was born with autism, has worked to bring new events to our community that make it easier for children and adults with autism to enjoy attending events in a sensory friendly environment. For this event, accommodations will be made to create a more sensory-friendly environment for visitors with sensory sensitivities and other special needs. That day, the exhibition will feature artificial noise reduction, elimination of flashing lights and dimmer lighting throughout the venue, and sensory-friendly spaces available throughout the exhibit. These features will provide a new opportunity for those with disabilities to fully immerse themselves in the extraordinary work of Vincent van Gogh, noted Santabarbara.

“Events like this give families affected by autism an opportunity to take advantage of this new experience here in our community while spending time together in a sensory-friendly environment,” said Assemblyman Santabarbara, who serves as Chair of the NY State Assembly’s Sub-Committee on Autism Spectrum Disorders. “The latest report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control showed that about 1 in 44 children in the US are now diagnosed with autism, up from 1 in 68 in 2012 and the numbers have doubled in less than 20 years. That makes autism the fastest-growing developmental disability in the country and awareness events like this in our community are now more important than ever,” Santabarbara said. “I’m excited to partner the Van Gogh Experience to provide a day of exploring in a sensory friendly environment.”

EVENT DETAILS

[1] feverup.com/m/111819