About 30 theatres and arts centres in Wales have signed up to a scheme to give disabled people better access to the arts, writes Georgia Snow in The Stage. The scheme, called Hynt, is the brainchild of Arts Council of Wales (ACW) and is aimed at opening up cultural spaces and experiences for audiences with disabilities. Those taking part include Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff’s New Theatre and Clwd Theatr Cymru. An access card entitles cardholders to a free ticket for a carer or personal assistant across all shows at participating theatres. When booking, box office staff will also be able to see automatically any additional preferences, such as if there is a need for parking for disabled people or the need to bring an assistance dog.
“It’s absolutely about trying to make booking and attending theatre as equal an experience as it can possibly be,” Hynt’s project manager Emma Evans told The Stage. “Having the same quality of experience is really important.” The scheme also includes an online resource for audiences, which brings access guides and information on theatres and performances into one place.
In addition, Evans said the initiative was working with theatres across Wales to “embrace a transitional change” within arts organisations that will improve accessibility and understanding. “We knew that we had to create this national card scheme with transparent criteria, but we also had to start a step change within the culture of the organisations we are going to be working with to bring them on board with that commitment,” she said.
Hynt is funded by ACW but has been created by development agency Creu Cymru in partnership with Diverse Cymru. The scheme was announced by ACW alongside its equality guide, which has been published to give arts organisations practical ideas about improving equality and diversity within the arts in Wales.
Source: Access Tourism NZ
