AVENGERS-SYMPOSIUM, 30.August – 01.September 2024
for more accessibility in the independent performing arts
Did you know that classical mask theater or other plays that emphasize movement and physicality can also be suitable for deaf people? German surtitles are not only suitable for people with hearing impairments who speak written language, but also for non-native speakers, or plays in which live music with lyrics needs to be understood. Very auditory pieces or interactive performances can be interesting for blind and visually impaired people and can be made accessible with little effort…
The AVENGERS Symposium is an open space for learning and exchange about the different living and working realities of viewers with disabilities and artists with and without disabilities. In various impulse formats, talks, workshops and artistic works, the AVENGERS Symposium presents a pool of creative accessibility formats with a focus on visual and hearing impairment.
We, the pilot project AVENGERS, are a working group consisting of dance, performance and audio artists as well as accessibility experts from the disability perspectives of blind, hard of hearing and wheelchair users. The aim of our group is to provide advice to the independent performing arts community in order to make it more accessible.
The central questions of AVENGERS are: How can the needs and resources of independent artists and people with disabilities come together and mesh in the independent performing arts? What are creative and low-threshold forms of accessibility? Which artistic approaches are suitable for which target group? How can accessible formats be implemented in practice? And: How can we prepare information in such a way that artists can train themselves at a low threshold in order to work more accessibly?
With a toolbox of collected knowledge, we would like to support artists from the independent performative scene in developing and implementing their own aesthetic accessibility measures.
Come by!
The AVENGERS Team
Left:
-> click here for the teaser
-> click here to register on Qultor
Registration for the pick-up service and questions to: avengers@barnescrossing.de
PROGRAM
FRIDAY
17:00 – 17:30 IMPULS Avengers: Who are we and what do we do? The project introduces itself. (AD, UT, Induction)
17:30 – 21:00 SONA – auditory virtual reality installation premiere (AD, induction)
SATURDAY
12:00 – 18:30 SONA (AD, induction)
13:30 – 14:00 IMPULS Avengers – who are we and what do we do? The project introduces itself (AD, UT, induction)
14:00 – 15:30 IMPULS Public relations for blind audiences (AD, UT, induction)
17:00 – 18:30 IMPULS Audio description and tactile guidance (AD, UT, induction)
19:00 – 21:00 PERFORMANCE “Die Nacht in der wir Männer wurden” by S. Rudat & das (i)dentityteam (AD, UT)
21:00 – 22:00 Closing and room for feedback (AD, induction)
SUNDAY
11:30 – 13:00 Discussion round DGS – moderated discussion on the use of sign language in the performing arts (DGS, AD, UT, induction)
12:00 – 18:00 SONA (AD, induction)
14:00 – 14:30 IMPULS hearing loss – a field report (DGS, AD, UT, induction)
14:30 – 16:00 WORKSHOP Self-awareness of hearing loss (AD, induction, handout)
16:30 – 17:00 IMPULS surtitling (DGS, AD, UT, induction)
17:30 – 18:30 IMPULS “Toolbox” – Overview of accessibility formats for dance, performance, theater (DGS, AD, UT, induction)
19:00 – 20:00 Closing and room for feedback (DGS, AD, induction)
Venue:
Barnes Crossing – Free space for dance performance art
Industriestrasse 170
50999 Cologne-Rodenkirchen
Phone: +49 2236-96 35 88
can be reached by streetcar line 16, stop Michaelshoven
Registration for the pick-up service and questions to avengers@barnescrossing.de
We strive to make the AVENGERS Symposium as accessible as possible for blind and visually impaired people, deaf and hard of hearing people and people with physical disabilities.
We can offer the following measures for this symposium:
- Wheelchair accessible: The Barnes Crossing is wheelchair accessible. There is a step between the foyer and the auditorium, which can be overcome with a mobile ramp. The toilet has limited wheelchair access. It can be reached by wheelchair, but there are no armrests or adjustable mirrors.
- There are sofas and beanbags for Crib Time
- Support staff available
- Pick-up service: We offer a pick-up service from the Michaelshoven streetcar stop. Please send us an e-mail with the day and arrival time at the stop to avengers@barnescrossing.de
- Service for the blind
- Guidance system for the blind available in the rooms of Barnes Crossing.
- Assistance dogs are welcome. Dogs can be looked after, but we would like to point out that there is no separate room for dogs.
- Live audio description of all program items
- Touch Tour for some program points
- Subtitles/subtitles available in German
- Hearing technology for induction in the foyer and hall via mobile solution
- German sign language: Two sign language interpreters will be present on Sunday. They will also be happy to interpret during the breaks. Simply contact the interpreters.
SAVE THE DATE:
AVENGERS Symposium
for more accessibility in the independent performing arts
FRI 30.8.- SUN 1.9.2024
Barnes Crossing Cologne
More information about the event can be found here
The AVENGERS Symposium is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and is a cooperation between Barnes Crossing e.V. and Mittendrin e.V.



