On Saturday, 27th September, the Assistive Resource Centre (ARC) at IIIT Bangalore buzzed with excitement as visually impaired working professionals gathered for a joyful day dedicated to play, creativity, and tactile exploration. Designed by and for the VI community—with support from the VE team—the event offered a refreshing break from routine and an opportunity to rediscover the pleasure of hands-on activities.
The day featured a variety of accessible indoor games, including Brainvita, Tangrams, and a spirited round of Housie, complete with Braille, large-print, and digital tickets to ensure everyone could participate seamlessly. Laughter, friendly competition, and teamwork filled the space as participants immersed themselves in play.
A deeply engaging tactile art workshop invited participants to create textured artworks—from trees and geometric patterns to delightful Hogwarts-inspired castles—demonstrating how art can be experienced, imagined, and reimagined through touch. The session was followed by an exploration of STEM tactile materials, where participants interacted with tools used to teach young learners with visual impairments, sparking conversations about the importance of tactile learning in science education.
Throughout the day, many participants expressed how rare and refreshing it was to simply sit and play, how calming the art-making process felt, and how magical it was to “see” Hogwarts through their fingertips.
A heartfelt thank you goes to the wonderful organising team—Aishwarya, Chandana, Hemant, and Ruturaj—whose energy and creativity made the event possible, and to the IIIT-B student volunteers who enthusiastically learned, guided, and played alongside participants.
With 14 participants, 5 organisers, and 5 volunteers, the event radiated joy, community, and belonging—so much so that a few participants didn’t want the day at ARC to end.
