Theatre Accessibility

We proudly announce the completion of Phase 1 of our Cultural Infrastructure Project and are excited to share the findings with you!

Kickstart Disability Arts and Culture partnered with Realwheels and the Social Planning and Research Council of BC (SPARC BC) to address the limited number of theatre venues that are truly and fully accessible for artists/performers, theatre technicians, and patrons with disabilities.

Throughout the spring and fall of 2016, SPARC BC conducted a Needs Assessment of Accessible Performance Spaces in the City of Vancouver, which included a review of leading practices and feedback from the broader community.

We asked: What is currently working well? What are the gaps and challenges in regards to accessible theatre venues?

We then created an accessibility audit checklist, after which our multi-disability audit team undertook a thorough audit of one theatre venue.

Below is a link to the final report (a PDF file that you can download), which encapsulates our findings and includes the accessibility audit checklist, along with the details of our audit of the Firehall Arts Centre.

The long-term goal of this project is to increase accessibility at theatre venues for artists, technical staff, and patrons with disabilities.

We invite you to read this report and most importantly to use it, share it and expand the dialogue around issues of accessibility in our city.

Click on this link for Final Report

Needs Assessment of Accessible Performance Spaces and Fire Hall Final Report 

We gratefully acknowledge funding support from:

City of Vancouver
Canada Council for the Arts