Information on accessibility of the Arts and Encounters Academy
The Arts and Encounters Academy is eager to become fully accessible. The seven members of the Alliance of International Production Houses (Bündnis internationaler Produktionshäuser) are currently in a transition phase in which they are undergoing a re-thinking and re-learning process that involves taking pragmatic steps towards becoming more inclusive. We still have a long way to go on our path to ensuring full inclusivity in all of our cultural activities. As a result, the academy is still only partially barrier-free at this point.
For this reason, we will be considering the particular needs of participants with disabilities on an individual basis. In other words, we will discuss which forms of assistance are needed directly with the individual participants themselves, and also determine how the framework of the academy can be adapted to fit these needs.
We ask for your patience and understanding that we will only be able to answer your accessibility-related questions in the course of the overall planning process, as we work with several different production houses and spaces.
Depending on the latest developments associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, the academy events may or may not have to take place digitally. We are currently working on breaking down any remaining barriers standing in the way of digital participation.
If it becomes possible to hold the academy on site and in person, it will take place in spaces that are accessible via wheelchair, including wheelchair-accessible sanitary facilities.
Depending on the participants’ individual needs, the academy will also arrange for personal work assistance (by the hour), alternative seating and a separate rest area near the event space. We will also make sure to include time for brief breaks. Please note that we always encourage participants to take a personal break at any time or simply withdraw from the event for a moment of rest.
The languages spoken at the event will be German and English. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that we will be able to provide full interpretation in sign language. We will also be unable to provide any professional spoken or written interpretation from English to German and vice versa. We ask for your understanding in these matters. Still, we will make our best effort to mediate between German and English as far as possible. Hearing assistance via an audio induction loop can be provided upon request.
If you have any questions, please send a short email to: begegnungen@produktionshaeuser.de. If you leave us a telephone number, we would be happy to call you back. We apologise for the fact that we are currently unable to give out a general telephone number
Info on individual academy modules:
Due to the ongoing Covid-19-related regulations, the first academy module will most likely not be able to take place as planned at the Kampnagel in Hamburg. Instead, it will most likely take place online in digital form.
The second module is still scheduled to take place at the HAU in Berlin. However, seeing as the HAU Hebbel am Ufer is currently undergoing renovations, we might have to switch the location of this second module to an external ground-floor space. This space would be in the direct vicinity of the HAU and also be wheelchair accessible.
The third module is scheduled to take place in Düsseldorf at the tanzhaus nrw and at the FFT. Although the tanzhaus nrw is accessible at ground level, it should be noted that there are old train tracks and cobblestones in the building’s forecourt. The FFT Düsseldorf is currently moving into a new space and working to ensure barrier-free access. The new FFT premises will be located on the first floor of a multi-storey building that has a wheelchair-accessible elevator.