Access for artists

How we approach access

We break access down simply into two areas: ‘Soft access’ and ‘hard access’, or ‘being’ and ‘doing.’

‘Soft access’ is about behaviour, attitude, and empathy. It’s about the way we are and how people are treated. Good access can’t exist without these things. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we’re disability-lead, and in our experience it’s the ‘soft access’ that makes the biggest difference as to whether or not we feel respected and safe.

‘Hard access’ is important too. Some access needs require fixed, tangible resources to be accommodated appropriately. These are things that need to be made, outsourced, bought, or built. Like interpreters, step-free access, hearing loops, and alternative formats for documents and meetings.

We can always do ‘soft access.’ That’s about who we are and what we value. We can’t always do every kind of ‘hard access’ though, but we will always tell you.

You know about our ‘soft access’ and what we value, so how’s about we get to the concrete stuff?

How we work with you

  • Open communication. Whatever that looks like for you. We’ll discuss this with you if your work is selected and, considering our own access needs to, we’ll set down a plan for the most accessible way to communicate with you throughout your time with us.

  • Access riders. These are simple documents that break down information about your access needs and how you’d like them to be accommodated. Filling out an access rider can be a great process and can help us all to think expansively about our needs, you may even realise there are areas we can support you in that you hadn’t felt you were allowed to consider before. We created our own access rider template exactly for this purpose, it will be sent out to you if you’re selected. We’ll use this as the basis for supporting your needs on your own terms.

  • Crisis plans. If you have a condition that can cause a health crisis or health crash, then don’t worry, we have crashes too which is why we developed our own system to mitigate and manage their impact on our creative work - we call it a ‘crashmat.’ The crisis plan is part of that system and is a document that will let us as a team know how you want us to respond to a health crisis or crash. You’ll get this template sent out to you along with the access rider if you’re selected.

  • Prioritising flexibility and agility. Sometimes access needs change, especially with dynamic disabilities, and especially if you’re experiencing a health crisis or crash. If the plans we make for your access have to change, or you realise something isn’t working anymore, then we can respond to this quickly and effectively.

Access we can provide to artists

Clarity matters. That’s why we’re specific about our capacity to meet diverse access needs. In our books, if it can’t be done fully, appropriately, and safely, then we aren’t able to do it. We would rather be clear about not being able to do something than hurt somebody because we promised something we didn’t think through and couldn’t deliver properly.

But this means that when we say we can meet an access need, you can be sure we’ve properly assessed that we can meet it fully, appropriately, and safely every time.

If something you need isn’t listed here, we apologise. Please get in touch with us via our contact page or any of our social media and we will be more than happy to discuss your access needs and add information to this page if it’s missing.

  • Provide documents in a range of alternative, accessible formats. This includes Easy Read, large print, orange-backed, and audio.

  • Step-free performance space. The stage at our venue has three steps up to it, so if this is inaccessible for you we have plotted out a step-free performance area in front of the stage that can easily be used instead.

  • Access maps will be sent to our artists that show the floorplan of the building and where they may encounter access issues such as low-light areas, or where our step-free performance area will be if you need this. We will also provide custom maps of the area surrounding the venue that highlight step-free access, road surface changes, parking, and public transport links to help you plan your route in.

  • BSL interpretation during meetings & development sessions. You will need to let us know in advance if you require this as we will need time to book an appropriate interpreter who has experience translating meetings and working in a theatre context, to make sure they can appropriately translate technical language for you.

  • Cover travel costs. If public transport causes an access issue for you, we can cover the cost of a cab. This includes travel for any carer or assistant who needs to come with you.

  • Early access to the venue on the day of your performance. This might be for you to touch-tour the space, to give you time to adjust to the sensory environment, or just to feel calm and settled before other artists and audience arrive.

  • Covid-safety. We know the pandemic isn’t over, and a lot of disabled people are still vulnerable, including us. The team test before events and we ask that other artists do too, in consideration for everyones wellbeing. We also provide masks on the door and will be running HEPA air filters throughout the event.

  • Guide dogs & service animals of all kinds are welcome. We can provide water - and snacks as well if they’re allowed. If your work is selected then we will ask you about your service animal in your access rider, including what you would like for them while you are performing (if you will be on stage.)

What we are able to do

What we are Not able to do

  • Unfortunately, the venue does not have a hearing loop.

  • Medication storage cannot be provided on site. This is because there is no secure or sanitary place for this, especially for refrigerated medications.

  • We are not a relaxed event. After completing a thorough access audit of our venue we decided that we are not able to provide a relaxed event experience fully, appropriately, or safely. This goes for both artists and audiences.

  • Though scratch nights are informal, this isn’t the same as being a relaxed event. Relaxed events carefully manage sensory aspects of a show and venue and often create spaces that are quiet for people to take themselves to if the event becomes overwhelming.

    Our access audit of our venue revealed we cannot accommodate these needs fully, appropriately, or safely for artists because:

    • The venue is very small and there is not space to move around or through seats easily.

    • There is nowhere in the venue that could be used as a breakout/quiet space.

    • Due to the venues size, people are sat very close to other people and to equipment. We are not confident that this would be completely safe for someone who needed to get up and move around or stim during the show. Especially if their stimming looked like dancing, running, or flapping, they could potentially hurt themselves in this environment.