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Our alt text campaign

In the distance a lone statue figure is stood in the sea up to waist height. In the foreground is a white sign on a metal railing. The text on the sign reads 'silent and still: a rusting, cast-iron, life-size body stands staring out to sea. As the tide comes in it is submerged under waves, as the water retreats it reappears. A cultural clock, corroding yet constant, patiently waiting for the next tide, on and on, over and over for eternity, while our lives and loves ebb and flow around it.'

In March 2024 we launched our campaign to raise awareness of the importance of adding alt text to any images posted online.

We wrote beautiful alt text to some of the most powerful images in the world. Proving that we can all give these iconic images, or any images, the descriptions they deserve so they’re accessible to blind and partially sighted people.

We chose five of the most iconic images from history but instead of showing the image, we wrote funny and compelling alt text image descriptions - descriptions that helped people to feel and understand the image, without seeing it.

As a twist, rather than revealing the image when people scanned the posters, we revealed the issue at the heart of our campaign, that when we don't add alt text to the images we post online, we fail to reveal the image to blind and partially sighted people.

Our campaign reached over 1.3 million people, and over 2400 people engaged with the campaign over three days.

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Anthony Gormley

To celebrate GAAD day on 16 May, we wrote an alt text description for the Anthony Gormley sculpture 'Another Time,' at the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery in Margate. The sculpture of a solitary figure in the sea is an iconic local landmark that's only visible three hours before low tide.

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