How to Increase Your Welcome to More Diverse Audiences

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. 

The social model of disability

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.

Webinar 

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.

• CAAA2 Access Webinar
• CAAA2 Access Webinar with A/D
• CAAA2 Access Webinar as slides

We've also compiled the Top Tips from venues and organisations to help you broaden and diversify your audience.

• Top Tips #1 (pdf)
• Top Tips #2 (pdf)
• Extraordinary Bodies Language Guide (pdf)

Access on Location

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.

• Access in to buildings
• Places for Wheelchair Viewing
• What makes a good chill out or quiet space?
• Easy adjustments to make refreshments more accessible
• Tips for accessible toilets
• How to improve access in and around outdoor event spaces

Top Tips for Marketing and Communication 

• Accessible Communication (pdf)
• Communicating about the Performance (pdf)

Conversations

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.

• Increasing your welcome to D/deaf and Visually Impaired audiences
• Access Companions
• How to improve the visually impaired experience at outdoor events
• Understanding the right language to use

Case Studies

Three organisations share their learning from Circus Around And About 2 and share how it has changed how they work with audiences.

• Case Study #1 Access Companions (pdf)
• Case Study #2 Lessons in Websites (pdf)
• Case Study #3 Involving staff in participation and engagement (pdf)