“I would like it to be open by September,” Brockman said. “I want to fill it with artists from Dayton.”
Beyond Vision Art took second place in the annual Flyer Pitch Competition’s nonprofit track, receiving $7,500. The funds will be used to establish a first-of-its-kind home for multisensory art in the Dayton area.
“We found out on April 29 we got second place and it felt amazing because I instantly knew with those funds that we would be able to finally open a gallery,” Brockman stated.
During the pitch competition, Brockman was supported by Maria Bowman and Paul Lyons. While Brockman represented Beyond Vision Art in the competition’s first round, the nonprofit’s second round pitch was delivered by Bowman, while in the final round the trio collectively presented a 30-minute pitch to a panel of judges.
“I’d been telling Paul and Maria that I hope we get a giant cheque. And the first thing we did after winning was take a picture with it,” Brockman said.
Multisensory art remains one of the most accessible ways for visually impaired members of the public to experience art. Brockman’s own journey to create and sustain Beyond Vision Art began after a proposed visit to the Air Force Museum.
“I didn’t think it would be fun because I couldn’t touch anything. Then I had this idea of a place with art you could touch. I asked my local neighborhood Facebook group if they thought it was a good idea and the next day I was being interviewed by the Dayton Daily News. It sort of blew up from there,” she said.
That push would see her create the nonprofit and hold its first show in April 2022 with a second one later that same year. In 2023, one multisensory show was hosted by Brockman and her team followed by a major showcase at the Dayton Metro Library in 2024.
Brockman’s success in the Flyer Pitch Competition promises a major upscaling in the nonprofit’s effort to make art accessible to everyone within the Miami Valley.
“I always loved art. But when I lost my sight, art was taken away from me because you can’t go into a gallery or museum and touch anything. So many things, even if you could, aren’t tactile,” she explained.
By exposing her to multisensory art, Brockman credits her nonprofit with bringing art back into her life. Soon, more will have an opportunity to experience art on a different level.
“Multisensory art is art that engages all five senses. Because it does it makes sight less necessary. That’s really important because visually impaired people can’t walk into galleries and touch things. But in a multisensory space there are things they can touch, taste, and hear,” Brockman said.
Beyond Vision Art’s curator also believes the upcoming gallery will represent an exciting opportunity for artists to experience and try something new. Artists that previously had not considered the important role of other senses will soon have a space where such work is displayed and appreciated by the public.
“I think its going to open up a whole new audience to them [artists]. There’s a whole population of people that can’t enjoy their art. Multisensory work, however, opens artists to them. I have found so many artists that get really excited creating multisensory art. It opens them up to a whole new world and perspective.”
Given the nonprofit’s previous work with numerous artists in the Dayton area, Brockman has a large variety of talents and mediums to pull from when the time comes to fill the new gallery, she said.
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