Access and Inclusion: NOT a Bolt On

Our discussion posed more questions and covered creating work, finances, education and resources.

Thoughts at the start:

- There is a desire from orgs, companies and artists to be more inclusive.

- It can be easy for access to start as a priority but get lost.

- Access can often be a tick box exercise for ACE or a performative and insubstantial variety.

- We aspire to do better but often plans are not fully thought through.

- Orgs often fail to consult the people who need the access provision.

- People who need access provision often don't know what they need.

- There is not enough accessible and inclusive theatre, especially that offers multiple access options at once. Groups with diverse access needs can't all share a theatre experience as theatres have one day for captions, one for ADI and one for BSL.

- As artists we also need provision and adaptations, we need to ask and make a noise about that.

Discussion:

It can be difficult to accommodate everyone and/or be totally inclusive but we can all do something. Sometimes needs between the audience and the creatives clash, how to we manage that?

Can technology help? There are new technologies that can support better inclusion, but for many areas it isn't quite there yet. Maybe hybrid ideas are the way forward. Sometimes there are draw backs but something is better than nothing. We can make small changes and move towards bigger ones.

Creating a space for people where they can be creatively involved in their own way is important.

Budgets are a big barrier to putting in place the things that can facilitate artists to build inclusion and access into their work form the start. ACE say they are keen to support but the funding landscape is dire at the moment. The NPO delay means many companies can't make changes now as funds are allocated as per their last application.

For scripted work you need to have a writer who is open to making changes to the script as the work develops and is on board from the start to bring access to the heart.

Work that is funded to be more accessible is often for children.

Frozen Light in Norwich has a space to make work and a sensory library - they are keen to see more work for adults with PMLD (profound and multiple learning difficulties). There is huge demand but not enough artists are making this work. The barriers of knowledge and budget are one thing, but artists can also be scared of getting it wrong or failing to reach audiences.

It can be easier to include access and inclusion from the start with new work, particularly devising, but it is more of a challenge with pre existing work and/or adaptations. It is a learning process for artists too.

Youth companies need to see diversity onstage and to know about access. How do we make sure the disabled artists of the future are encouraged and supported if they can't go to the theatre.

Theatre without access and inclusion is saying to marginalised groups and those with access needs: "You are not welcome here!" That is not what we want to be saying as theatre makers. It is not an optional extra and shouldn't be a bolt on. If ACE made it a requirement of funding to consider access or had an access fund (outside the of the main creative budget as with creative practitioner access costs) this would encourage artists and companies to do more.

ACE has 'All In' in the works. Will this make real change possible? Will it be enough? It is a start but it need to work for the people who need the access and not just tick boxes for artists. The HINT scheme in Wales for example really doesn't work for some people with PMLD and isn't doing what it needs to be doing.

There is not a lack of wanting to make changes but there is a lack of knowledge, funding and audience development is hard.

Venues are struggling to do audience development, artists and companies often have to take the lead on finding audiences for accessible work. Having audience development as part of your plan from the start is also important.

How does education play a part? Do the people running venues and making decisions really understand the vast range of needs? Can more be done to teach children in school and young people in FE/HE about access and inclusion? Artists need to know what teachers need and vis versa. We as artists need to talk to teachers and learn what will work for their schools. It can be difficult to reach schools, sometimes coming to them is the only way, sometimes bringing them out of school is more effective.

Offering CPD can help but again it can also be difficult for teachers to find time.

Could venues do more, there are lots of barriers for them too. Ultimately it often comes down to funds and budgets.

Given all the barriers and the slow speed of progress, what do we do now to make a difference? There is a really complex web of things that make it difficult to make work inclusive but it is imperative that we keep pushing.

- Even if we only invest in one area as artists, it is a start, it will make a difference.

- We need to keep learning, communicating with each other, making the changes we can make and driving the progress where we can.

- Set up inclusive spaces where we can.

- Use the open space model to creative an environment that allows for inclusive practice.

- Think about, have conversations about and make changes for more inclusive work form the very start.

- Don't be afraid to fail.

Ideas for actions:

- Create a central database of all access performances.

- Explore the Scotland Access Forum as a model.

- Look at the Up Front Performance Network Facebook group.

- Develop a network across the UK of theatre makers/companies sharing information and helping to promote each others work.

- Creating a website for Artists to learn about access and share their shows.