Engaging Audiences with Disabilities

Monday, November 7, 2022
4:00pm-6:00pm ET

Format: Online
Location: Zoom
Intended Audience: Marketing professionals from theatres of any size.
Participation Level: High - Discussion-based workshop.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Access (EDIA) have become fundamental tenets at many organizations. Accessibility has tended to focus on the provision of services (i.e. captioning, interpreting, audio descriptions, wheelchair access, etc), yet attention is rarely paid to the actual community, to what other barriers may exist for disabled people in accessing theatre, and to better understanding the varied experiences of the disabled community. Providing services is only part of inclusion; we need to look at the individual, in addition to understanding what true partnership with the disability community(s) can look like. Whether in the virtual environment or once we return to our theaters, providing services without involvement and partnership impedes our ability to truly include this community and better understand their community needs, wishes, and experiences.

This recorded workshop will provide a forum for conversation to offer strategies on best practices of engagement for audiences with disabilities. More than a marketing strategy, we will discuss issues of engagement and partnership as a mechanism of inclusive practices.

Beth Prevor is a co-founder and Executive Director of Hands On, an arts service organization that advocates for access to the cultural arts for the Deaf community and audiences with disabilities. For the last 35+ years, Hands On has been providing access for the Deaf and hard of hearing communities of NYC through sign language interpreted theater at some of NYC's most prestigious theaters including The Roundabout Theater Company, The New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater and The New Victory Theater.  As Executive Director, Beth works with arts organizations to ensure inclusion for all by providing marketing, community engagement and audience development strategies. As a disabled advocate, Beth is active as an advisor to many groups including, The Shubert Accessibility Committee, The New Jersey Theatre Alliance, The Alliance of Resident Theaters/New York (ART/NY) and the Museum, Arts and Culture Access Consortium (MAC). She has led workshops on accessibility and the arts for organizations around the country including the Kennedy Center's LEAD (Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability) Conference, Americans for the Arts, The National Arts Marketing Project, the Alliance of Resident Theaters/New York (ART/NY) and Theater Communications Group (TCG). 

She is the 2015 recipient of the John F. Kennedy Center's Excellence in Accessibility Leadership Lifetime Achievement award. 

All A.R.T./New York workshops, roundtables, and trainings feature automated captioning provided by Zoom. ASL interpretation and CART captioning services are available by request; requests must be made at least 5 business days before the event. For requests, accessibility information, or other accommodations please contact Ashley J. Hicks at [email protected].

All A.R.T./New York workshops, roundtables, and trainings feature automated captioning provided by Zoom. ASL interpretation and CART captioning services are available by request; requests must be made at least 5 business days before the event. For requests, accessibility information, or other accommodations please contact Ashley J Hicks at [email protected].