Accessibility - Program
Make your festival or event accessible by considering visitors with disabilities in programming as well. To provide accessible programming, take the experience of visitors with specific disabilities as a starting point.
Accessible programming by target audience
See how to do accessible programming for target audience with:
Podcast
In de podcastserie Toegankelijke Evenementen delen ervaringsdeskundige bezoekers en experts hun ervaringen en bevraagt presentator Tim Kroesbergen hen over hoe het nog beter kan. In deze aflevering spreekt Tim met Kir Robben van Speels Collectief en Lotte Wijfje van Lindenberg Cultuurhuis Nijmegen over toegankelijk programmeren.
Download the transcript of this podcast episode.
Program for people with hearing disabilities
The use of an interpreter allows people with hearing impairments to experience more of the performances during the event. Not everyone with an auditory disability needs the same type of interpreter - there are a variety of options:
- Dutch Sign Language Interpreter: converts spoken Dutch into Dutch Sign Language (or Dutch with signs).
- Script interpreter: converts spoken Dutch into written text so that people who cannot hear (well) can read along with what is being said. This is mainly used for people who cannot sign, for example because they have suddenly or late become deaf, or hard of hearing.
- Voice interpreter: converts Dutch sign language to spoken Dutch.
- Signdancers: convert song and music into sign language
Want to use an interpreter at your event? Then go to the register of the RTGS Foundation, they have the contact information of interpreters with the various specializations in their database.
Found an interpreter to be used at your event? Pass it on to Theatre with Interpreter. They manage a directory of performances where an interpreter will be used, so visitors with hearing impairments know where to go.
In some cases you may be reimbursed for interpreting hours through the UWV, information on the conditions and application can be found at Organization | UWV | Business
Remember to make sure the interpreter is highly visible, preferably on the stage where the act itself is also taking place, in a well-lit area. This makes both the interpreter and the performance itself easily visible.
Program for people with visual impairment
Live audio description by a blind interpreter makes theater performances and events accessible to visitors with visual impairments. To do so, approach Foundation Comes to See: https://www.komthetzien.nl/audiodescriptie
Doing even more for visitors with visual impairments? By means of a "meet & feel" they can get acquainted with the decor, performers and, for example, costumes beforehand.
If there are things on display at your event, you can make them accessible by organizing a tour with image description or adding an audio clip with image description. Getting people to feel things can also be done, depending on what is on display. For more tips on this, see https://studio-inclusie.nl/tools/museum-open-u/
Program for people with irritability and other disabilities
Irritability is common, and can have a variety of causes. To serve this target group, you might think about programming low-incentive offerings as well.
Want to get started with this? Contact Foundation Unlimited Enjoyment: https://www.onbeperkt-genieten.nl, they are specialists in the field of low-incentive cultural programming. They also manage the 'low stimulus culture agenda', where your event can be listed if you offer this type of program.