Relaxed Performance Consultation Sessions

Intrepid Theatre, in partnership with Embrace Arts Foundation, is seeking artists who are based locally for online consultation sessions about relaxed performances in Lekwungen Territories/Victoria.

What is Intrepid Theatre?

Intrepid Theatre produces the Victoria Fringe Festival, OUTstages, UNO Fest, and a yearly presentation series. We are seeking input from artists who use Relaxed Performances (including disabled and neurodivergent artists) as we grow Relaxed Performance programming and host training for local theatre staff.

What is the aim of this project?

Relaxed performances “relax” some traditional elements of theatre to provide a more comfortable audience experience. In hosting these performances, we want to do what works for the local community. Our goal is to ensure we are providing a meaningfully accessible and supportive environment for local patrons who use relaxed performances, and to create more accessible and equitable theatre spaces with more opportunities for disabled and neurodivergent artists and audience members to participate and contribute.

Have your say!

We will be gathering input on how established relaxed performance training materials reflect your lived experience (or how they don’t!), and what you would like to see in theatre spaces to improve accessibility. These informal online sessions will help create actionable ways that Intrepid and other theatre companies can host relaxed performances. There will be three online consultation sessions, on Zoom, facilitated by Anika Vervecken. In these sessions, Anika will be going through relaxed performance methods developed by the British Council, and invite input from you about how these materials relate to your lived experience. These will be closed sessions and a safe space to discuss experiences, good or bad. The sessions will be attended by facilitator Anika, Tiffany from Embrace Arts, and Sammie or Holly from Intrepid, as well as consultants. Consultants will be paid an honorarium of $100 for each online session they participate in, and do not need to do any preparation beforehand. They can also express interest to consult in future for Intrepid Theatre, including as part of in-person staff training.

Session 1: Front-of-House, Box Office, & Marketing

Monday Feb 28: 2:00-4:00pm  

A relaxed performance should encompass the entire experience of attending a show. In this session we’ll go over ways theatres can improve the experience in the lobby and buying tickets, and marketing relaxed performances.

Session 2: Show Production

Wednesday March 2: 5:30-7:30pm

In this session, we’ll discuss elements of a theatre performance or show and what adaptations are useful in a relaxed performance: technical elements like lighting and sound, and other additions or adjustments.

Session 3: Visual Stories

Friday March 4 | 2:00pm-4:00pm

A visual story is a document that through text and photos gives audience members an idea of what to expect at a venue and a show. In this session, we’ll go through a visual story template and discuss what is useful to include in a visual story.

Interested? If you are interested in participating as a consultant, please let Tiffany know embrace.arts.victoria@gmail.com

This initiative is funded by the Disability Alliance BC.