Access in theatres from a sound perspective

Wednesday 8th October 
Online
1pm - 2.30pm

Making shows accessible is becoming easier to do, and more audiences are using the services.  But the quality of access from venue to venue varies greatly.  Here to talk more about this, are people who work in the field either providing services, technology experts, or a user who works in sound themselves.

We want to share experiences and knowledge, demystify some of these services, discuss best practice, and come away with more thoughts on what we can all do within our roles to make sure we’re providing the best possible access.

Alice Gilmour – audio describer / captioner and sound designer

James Bottrill – Audio engineer and assistive listening technology specialist

Karina Townsend – Musician, educator and creative technologist

Access from a sound perspective in theatres focuses on making the auditory experience of a performance accessible to everyone, particularly deaf and hard-of-hearing audience members, through methods like sound enhancement via a headset or device, using either hearing loop / wifi / radio or infrared technology.  Also via captioning, either to screens or hand-held devices.  And then for blind and partially sighted audiences, they can access audio description, which provides a verbal narration of the visual elements of a play or film, often delivered via a headset. Some productions also use integrated audio that describes actions within the performance soundtrack itself, creating a more inclusive experience for all audience members. 

Please note, the ASDP reserves the right to make changes to the programme without prior notice. Such alterations may occasionally be necessary due to circumstances beyond our control.

All events will be filmed and photographed - your presence confirms your permission for the ASDP to use any images or recordings of you in our publicity materials and seminar archive.

The ASDP does not accept responsibility for anyone acting as a result of information or views expressed on its training courses including course material. Opinions expressed are those of individual trainers and not necessarily those of the ASDP. Participants should take professional advice when dealing with specific situations.