Sensory friendly programming, new audiences. By Sarah Fieger Robertson, CVP PERFORMING ARTS:
SENSORY FRIENDLY PERFORMANCES
The Performing Arts Managers Conference, hosted in Chicago from - ing knowledge. The attendees discussed how to increase revenue, en- - gotiations. One session highlighted the ability to reach a new audience, which many may not have considered in the past. At least 1 in 68 children are placed on the autism spectrum, and
this number is increasing each year. With the growing population, providing accessibility and programming for these patrons is some- thing that every performing arts center should consider. Sensory (or Autism) friendly programming is intended for an audience of children or adults who are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, or oth- er sensitivities and their family and friends. After attending this session and helping the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio, - cess of launching this program with Kendall Purpura, vice president and Saenz, education coordinator. Generation NEXT, The Tobin
member onsite. Victoria Bailey, executive director of TDF, came to The Tobin Cen- ter to assist during the sensory-friendly performance by Parsons Dance changes to the venue to accommodate patrons, and served as a wealth Fund’s support during the design and implementation of the program was invaluable. The ultimate goal is to create a welcoming and accepting environ-
Center’s Education Initiative, has a mission to inspire, enrich, and educate the youth of the region by providing access to world-class arts experiences for everyone. To start reaching “everyone,” The Tobin Center began researching established senso- ry-friendly programming and looking for partners to demonstrate the sensory-friendly performances for each of their productions through- out the season. This provided Saenz the opportunity to observe the process in her own backyard. At the beginning of the process, it is im- portant to learn about the needs of your local autism community and include them in the planning. She worked closely with Celia Hughes, executive director of Very Special Arts Texas, to understand the vision for creating inclusive education programming. After gaining a strong understanding of San Antonio’s needs, Pur- pura and Saenz reached out to nationally established programs like the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Kennedy Center launched their special education initiative in 2012 and focused on maintaining the artistic integrity of the performance while adapting the venue policies and procedures to accommodate the audience. arts form or the artists onstage in anyway. Tobin Center President and CEO Michael Fresher provided an in-
troduction to the Bushnell Performing Arts Center and their well-es- Yolande Spears, vice president of education at the Bushnell Per-
forming Arts Center, directed Purpura and Saenz to their greatest resource and partner, the Theatre Development Fund (TDF). Since 2012, the Theatre Development Fund in New York, through their Au- tism Theatre Initiative, has worked with theaters across the country to help them develop sensory-friendly programming. As consultants, TDF provided step-by-step support for The Tobin Center in the plan-
“With the growing population, providing accessibility and programming for these patrons is something that every performing arts center should consider.”
ment for this audience, by adapting venue policies and procedures. The Tobin Center kept the house lights on and the sound levels were lowered. The venue provided patrons the opportunity to be them- accepted. The Tobin Center used the additional accessibility seating at the should attendees want to participate in the art form. The most incredible outcome of hosting sensory-friendly performanc-
es is the impact on the audience. Since launching in Fall 2016, The Tobin Center has reached over 800 people in the special needs com- munity. Over 60 percent of the attendees at the sensory-friendly per- organization, or school group. One mother said, “I am glad I did not have to explain my daughter to anyone, and I felt comfortable being around other families like us.” No other audience appreciates the per- formance and the experience more than these patrons. After a successful beginning to The Tobin Center’s sensory-friendly
programming, Purpura and Saenz look forward to growing the of- ferings each season. Ultimately, they would like to have multiple pro- exciting ways to engage the visual and hearing impaired communities. They also want to encourage The Tobin Center’s 10 resident com- panies, including San Antonio Symphony, Ballet San Antonio, and Opera San Antonio, to provide sensory-friendly programming as part of their seasons each year. If you are interested in beginning sensory-friendly performances at
your venue, please reach out to the Theatre Development Fund. To org describing your theater’s current accessibility services and where - ry-friendly programming. For more information about The Tobin Center’s sensory-friendly program, please contact Sarah Saenz at sar-
ah.saenz@
tobincenter.org or call 210-223-3333. FM
Sarah Fieger Robertson, CVP, is house and volunteer services manager for The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio.
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