Artistic Directors Nathan Geering and Ryan Harston highlight key elements of our accessibility policy.

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This policy refers to accessibility specifically in regards to disability.

It exists to share our commitment to accessibility for disabled artists, practitioners, staff and audience members.

It is work that is ongoing, and we expect our approach to different kinds of accessibility to change and improve over time.

We have begun by making our communications, and this website more accessible. So that we can be held accountable we have noted (in brackets like these) when we expect to be able to achieve each area of this policy.

COMMUNICATION

(Ongoing)

Theatre Deli will provide a fully accessible website where all newly-added physical content e.g. images and links are provided with alt-text, videos are audio described and all video and audio files are captioned. We will also make all legacy content that is still linked from our homepage fully accessible in the same way. We will optimise our website for screen readers.

We will implement the following improvements to our newsletter and social media content:

• Adding alternative text (alt-text) for images, providing concise and informative image descriptions.
• Keeping our post information succinct and simple.
• Limiting the usage of emojis and cursive fonts.
• Placing hashtags and information into our comments section.
• Providing subtitles for all video content across stories, videos etc.
• Adding audio descriptions for videos and images.
• Optimising colour and contrast across our images that are posted on our social media and website.

PROGRAMMING

(By June 2022)

With a welcoming culture, we will prioritise shows that have accessible elements for the following:

• disabled artists 
• disabled technical team members 
• disabled audiences 

The vast majority of productions that are presented as part of Theatre Deli’s artistic performance program will include elements of disabled access and be created with at least one element of disability access in mind. 

If a programmed production has not included accessible elements, Theatre Deli will support the company to start them on their journey of making their work accessible. This could include:

• Providing Deli's own equipment and operating practice so that captioned and/or relaxed performances can be presented.
• Putting artists in touch with disabled communities to identify and implement a specific form of disabled access to put into their show.
• Creating connections between artists, BSL interpreters and audio describers
• Sharing details of companies and practitioners who specialise in delivering disabled access workshops and training.
• Running workshops that will be delivered in partnership with disabled artists and organisations. These workshops will be aimed at giving artists and companies a basic understanding of disabled access within theatre. 

If a company cannot make their current production accessible despite this support, then they may still be permitted to present their work at Theatre Deli. However all future productions they bring to Theatre Deli must be made accessible. By 2023 all programmed works at Theatre Deli will contain an accessible element in terms of disability.

We are committed to not excusing the creation of inaccessible work in our sector. 

ACCESSIBILITY TRAINING AND AWARENESS

(By June 2022)

We will deliver accessibility training and disability awareness courses to staff and artists. The courses will be run by disabled people who have a career within the arts.

For our staff and associate artists attending these courses is mandatory, and we have allocated additional funding for this training.

We will work in partnership with disability-led organisations to train artists in audio description, captioning and BSL integration.

SUPPORTING DISABLED ARTISTS AND TEAMS

(Ongoing)

We will create specific residencies to support disabled artists making work.

We will ask all artists to share their 'access riders' as we programme or employ them, detailing adjustments to our established practice that they may require.

We will create training sessions and opportunities that are accessible to disabled people wanting to learn more about backstage and technical elements of theatre-making.

VENUE ACCESSIBILITY

(Ongoing)

We will always ensure that each of our Theatre Deli venues are to the standards of the Equality Act (2010). We are passionate about making our venues at Theatre Deli accessible and safe spaces for disabled artists, staff and audiences, and will proactively respond to specific needs of individuals using our spaces. 

TECHNOLOGY AND ACCESSIBILITY

(Ongoing)

We will invest in, explore and develop cutting-edge technologies that enhance accessibility, reduce the cost of making work accessible, or embed accessibility within artistic practice. 

We will conduct research with disabled artists and audiences to find out what accessible technologies have the most impact and put these in place in our programme.

If you have any questions regarding this policy, please email [email protected]

07/02/22