Culture Republic Partner Dundee Rep is a theatre and arts company that stands out for its proactive approach to equalities and access. The theatre’s inclusive production of Blood Wedding was an example of best practice in Creative Scotland’s EDI report. We sat down with Jemima Levick, Artistic Director at Dundee Rep, to learn more about their efforts to improve access.

Q. What has your approach to increasing access and equalities  been?

Our work in this area really began to take shape during Caroline Bowditch’s tenure as Scottish Dance Theatre’s Dance Agent for Change which began in 2008.* Although Caroline’s work was predominantly with the dance company, the work she championed, the training she delivered and the legacy she left had a profound effect.  Following her departure, we were involved in Creative Scotland’s Promoting Equalities Programme. This enabled us to interrogate the work she had begun, specifically into how we engage with disability – with audiences, participants and artists.

Q. What has the impact been and what are you most proud of?

We are genuinely at a point where the whole organisation is more switched onto disability. This has been achieved by considering and integrating other people’s needs into our day to day practice.  A lot of the organisation’s learning was put to the test during our co-production with Graeae of Lorca’s Blood Wedding.  It was an enormously ambitious and brilliant show, which integrated a company of disabled and non-disabled actors, and re-imagined a contemporary classic play.  Jenny Sealey’s (Graeae Artistic Director) central enquiry is in the ‘aesthetics of access.’ This meant each performance was captioned, audio described and signed throughout. It was a massive undertaking, but it taught me and my colleagues a huge amount in terms of what is possible and what a difference that can make to an audience’s experience of a production.  And on a very practical level, the production literally changed the fabric of the building. We had a new door installed between the dressing room and the left side of the stage that had previously been inaccessible to wheelchair users. So, it’s pleasing that there has been a physical embodiment of the work too.

 

Q. What was the biggest obstacle or difficulty you faced?

I suppose fear was potentially one of our biggest obstacles – ‘getting it wrong’ or not doing it justice. The awareness we had developed alongside Caroline though, and the confidence that had brought with it, meant everyone threw themselves in feet first.  Money was a bit worrying too as access needs do cost money.  I find it extraordinary that any government can even consider slashing Access to Work funds.  I mean, without those there is simply no way we could have put Blood Wedding on.  Access to Work is what enables the artists we were working with, literally to work!  I have to say that Creative Scotland, to their credit, were incredibly supportive too.  Again, without that additional support the production simply wouldn’t have happened.

Q. What was your most important learning from the process?

That simple things can make all the difference; making sure that wheelchair access is clear and available, making sure that if someone is lip reading you’re clear and not looking in the opposite direction, ensuring front of house staff can learn the BSL for ‘welcome’ and ‘toilet’.

 

Crucially, that everyone listens and feels empowered to ask questions.  There’s no point in being embarrassed because someone is disabled. Avoiding the subject means that there is often much that is undisclosed.  All it takes it to ask – do you need anything?  Can I help? Do you want to be left alone?!

Q. How do you monitor the effectiveness of your work?

We try to ask our audiences what they think about how we’re doing as often as possible.  We are lucky in that we have a brilliant community here in Dundee; our creative learning practitioners are very well connected, we have a thriving Deaf Theatre Club, and a very talented company of performers called the Illuminate Ensemble who are all adults with disability.  We ask them a lot about how we are doing and how we can do better.  A good example of that was when we began to have a conversation with our deaf community about how our shows were interpreted.  It was only then that we began to realise that what we were doing wasn’t good enough.  As a result, we now try to integrate our BSLI’s into the action of the play instead of having them stood at the side in a spotlight. I’m told that it makes all the difference.

Q. What advice would you give other arts and cultural organisations?

Take everyone with you.  Access and equality isn’t just the job of the Education and Outreach department, nor is it only the job of the Front of House Managers. You need to be thinking about it from Board level right the way through to part-time, casual staff.  It’s everyone’s responsibility.  A little awareness training and confidence makes it a whole lot easier for everyone to know what is expected of them.

Q. Is there anything else you want people to know about your work in this area?

Our work in this area has been a reminder about how crucial it is to consider all aspects of equalities and diversity.  Now that we feel like disability awareness is embedded in our organisational thinking and practice, we want to address other areas as fully.  Specifically, we are beginning to examine our engagement with Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) audiences, participants and artists.  It’s a new focus but if we find a way to embed this into our thinking and practice in the same way I’ll be very happy.

If like Dundee Rep you’re looking to connect with disabled audiences we have online resources to support your efforts. Our population profile on disability is a practical fact file with case studies and handy links to help you become a more accessible organisation, and January’s podcast highlights more of the great practice that’s taking place across Scotland. We’ve also published guidance and research for arts organisations getting started in this field.

* As well as sharing a building Scottish Dance Theatre and Dundee Rep Theatre are bound by the same limited company, Dundee Rep Theatre Ltd.