NAD Advocates for Access in Cultural Venues

Earlier this week, the NAD participated in a new working group hosted by the Kennedy Center and Smithsonian about making cultural venues, such as live performance theaters and museums, accessible to deaf and hard of hearing people. The NAD commends the Kennedy Center and Smithsonian for their efforts to ensure accessibility.

This meeting focused primarily on accessibility in large performance theaters. Participants at the meeting shared their experiences with captions, sign language interpreters, and assistive listening devices in live performance theaters. The discussion focused on standards for captioning, using sign language interpreters to convey artistic content in live performances, and the technicalities of assistive listening devices. There was also some discussion about what modalities work best for various types of audiences. For example, children under the age of five will have different needs at a performance than late-deafened adults.

Participants also stressed the importance of on-site inspections, trainings, maintenance, technical issues, and constant inventory to make individual experiences truly accessible. Feedback provided by theater and museum patrons is also needed. One participant shared her experience visiting a museum where she found that the caption display equipment was available but difficult to use, no neck loop assistive listening devices were available, and some of the equipment was not functioning. In addition, while the museum staff was courteous and wanted to help, they were not aware of all to accommodations available to make the visit accessible.

The group plans to meet again in January to continue discussing accessibility in cultural settings. The NAD is pleased to work with the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian to ensure full accessibility and equal enjoyment in cultural settings by members of our community.

Please tell us about your experiences with live performance theaters, museums, and other cultural settings. How can these places and events be made more accessible to you?