Access for audiences

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?

Access we can provide to audiences

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.

What we are able to do

  • Provide information in a range of alternative, accessible formats. This includes Easy Read, large print, orange-backed, and audio. Please get in touch via our contact page if you need anything from us in an alternative format that isn’t already available on our website.

  • Livestreaming of all our events. We want to make sure as many people are able to access our events as possible, which is why we livestream all of them. This access is especially important for those of us who might struggle to leave our homes to go and see events in-person. All our livestreams will have views of the BSL interpreter and have auto-captioning.

  • Access maps. We are creating a series of maps that focus on different areas of access needs, including Autism & sensory needs, D/deaf & hard of hearing, mobility needs, visual impairment, and of course, where the accessible bogs are. Please let us know if these are useful to you using our contact form and we will get as many maps as you need sent out to you.

  • BSL interpretation at all of our events. We also have reserved seating closer to the interpreter for those who need it.

  • Space for up to 4x wheelchairs is available for our audiences. This will always be there, but as we only have limited spaces we ask that you let us know if you’ll need these spaces, and how many of them, when you book your tickets. This is so we can be aware if we need to make more space available. We also have bench seating beside the wheelchair accessible area so friends and family can sit with you.

  • 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.

  • Audio description will be available. We will have both in-ear and over-ear headsets available. These do not need to be booked in advance and will be available on the door. - Unfortunately, due to unforeseen technical issues, we are not able to provide AD at our June event

What we are Not able to do

  • We are not able to provide captioning - at the moment.

  • 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 audiences 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.