In 2024, Circus Around And About 2 toured extraordinary circus shows to rural and urban communities across the southwest. As part of this project, Extraordinary Bodies began a conversation with rural venues and urban organisations around improving access and increasing their welcome to more diverse audiences.
We have put together a bank of free resources to share our collective learning. Developed through Circus Around and About 2, we hope these materials, alongside useful information from other projects, continue to support venues and organisations.
Circus Around And About took the social model of disability as a way of viewing audience welcome. This model was developed by disabled people and says that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or condition: we try to use the phrase 'disabled people' rather than ‘people with disabilities’ because it is barriers that are disabling, and that is something we can all do something about.
At the beginning of Circus Around And About venues and organisations attended a webinar looking at how to broaden the welcome to their venues and events. The training was designed by Kate McStraw and delivered by Kate Webb and Abi Hill.
We've also compiled the Top Tips from venues and organisations to help you broaden and diversify your audience.
There are things we can do to make our venues and events easier for everyone. In these short films below Abi Hill visits different venues and gives simple tips in making them more accessible.
Over the course of the project, a network of venues and organisations emerged. They supported each other with advice and experience. These short films capture some of their conversations.
Three organisations share their learning from Circus Around And About 2 and share how it has changed how they work with audiences.
We began using Access Companions as part of an Outdoor Light festival in Weston Super Mare called Glow in 2024.
Download Pdf
Ellie and Naomi from GL4 reflect on their experience of working with Jess Thom when they booked their tour 'Burnout in Biscuit Land.
I think the biggest change for us has been the cultural shift for the Front of House team working together to be part of a performance.
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Access Resources collated & written by Kate Webb
Designed & produced by Tom Pattenden & Delphine Jones
British Sign Language Interpretation by David Ellington
Audio Description by Sophia Knox-Miller
Access Consultants Abi Hill & Kate McStraw
Access Producer Kate Webb
Project Producer Rachael Duthie
Kate McStaw
Abi Hill
For Take Art: Ralph Lister & Danny Peddler
For Extraordinary Bodies: Becky Chapman
For Crying out Loud: Rachel Clare and Lucy Babb
