Expanding the possibilities
of performance
Tickets on Sale: July 15!
Accessibility at SummerWorks
SummerWorks is committed to increasing accessibility for our audiences.
Each year, we work alongside Festival artists to find opportunities to incorporate a range of diverse audience access measures with their performances, where possible and when appropriate.
At present, this page is a summary of all of the access measures that we have implemented in previous Festivals, and in our year-round programming. Stay tuned for updates on access measures for specific projects and performances within the 2025 SummerWorks Performance Festival (to be confirmed when tickets go on sale in mid-July).
If you have access needs or a question about accessibility at this year’s Festival, contact our accessibility coordination team at access@summerworks.ca.
ACCESSIBILITY & COMMUNITY WELLNESS PROGRAM
Thanks to the generosity of Aubrey & Marla Dan Foundation, SummerWorks continues to offer our Accessibility & Community Wellness Program (ACWP). Through this program, we aim to cultivate progressive practices that foster greater diversity, accessibility, equity, and sustainability across the performing arts sector. It has been developed over the past three years in response to the emergent and urgent needs of the creative communities that engage with SummerWorks, and formalized in 2023. This program encompasses a diverse range of activities that prioritize increased access and mental health supports for artists, staff, volunteers, patrons, and our local communities of Parkdale, West Queen West, and Regent Park. In 2024, we formalized a new, four-pillar structure that encompasses all of the activities within the ACWP – Accessibility, Learning, Mentorship, and Programming.
Beyond the access measures listed below, the major public-facing components of the ACWP in 2025 are Summer Break, digitrans // analogirl, Fat Fables, and Switching Regent(s). These performance projects are rooted in community, created with attention and care to lived experience, youth mental health, and resilience.
SummerWorks is grateful to Aubrey & Marla Dan Foundation for their continued support of this important work, helping us create a lasting impact in our communities.
ASL Interpretation
ASL interpretation will be offered at select public events and ticketed performances, as well as by request for some workshops and SummerWorks Focus events.
Audio Description
Audio Described Performances offer verbal descriptions of key visual elements of a performance — such as sets, costumes, or significant actions — to offer greater access to Blind or Low Vision patrons.
Open Audio Description is when an audio Describer, or a performer in the show, speaks the description so that everyone in the audience can hear it. Audio description may also be provided via individual electronic devices called receivers, or via an individual called a “Whisper Guide.”
TACTILE TRANDUCERS
Tactile Transducers are electro-mechanical devices that create vibrations. They are often used to enhance the experience of video games and movies by turning sound into physical sensations. When connected to an audio amplifier and attached to a solid surface, tactile transducers convert audio signals into vibrations—similar to the haptic feedback you feel on a mobile device.
At this year’s SummerWorks Festival, several performances are using tactile transducer technology to support and enrich the experience for Blind and low vision and d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing audience members.
Relaxed Performances
Relaxed Performances are designed to welcome audience members who will benefit from a more relaxed sensory experience and casual environment, including (but not limited to) autistic patrons, people with learning disabilities, or those living with sensory and communication needs. There is a more relaxed approach to noise and movement within the theatre space; house lights will remain on at a low level and some minor production changes may be made to reduce the intensity of light, sound and other startling effects.
These shows are for anyone. Many other people may choose to attend a relaxed performance, either as an access requirement or because they like the inclusive environment.
A Relaxed Environment is created for audiences who have various access needs that a traditional theatre environment does not accommodate. Before a Relaxed Environment performance, audiences will get a show-specific Visual Story that gives them all the information they need to know about the performance (content and environment warnings, description of the performance elements, costumes, performers etc). **See below for Visual Stories about our Festival venues**
During a Relaxed Environment performance, an audience member can:
- enter and exit the theatre,
- move around throughout the theatre,
- can make noise or sounds,
- those who need to keep their phone on will be able to do so, on silent or on vibrate,
- throughout the show, there will be some light over the audience, for navigation.
There are no changes to the show’s lighting, sound, and other design elements in a Relaxed Environment.
Risk-Conscious Performances
Some performances may be designated as Risk-Conscious Performances, during which all audience members will be required to wear face masks or coverings while attending the performance.
Physical Access
All of our venues have accessible entrances and washrooms. Where possible, we have indicated ideal WheelTrans pick up and drop off locations in each venue’s Visual Story below.
Our five primary performance venues have accessible lifts to our Festival spaces.
Personal Support Workers
A person with a disability who is accompanied by a personal support person may have that person accompany them to our venues and attend the performance. Admission fees will not be charged for personal support persons at SummerWorks venues. Please indicate whether you will be accompanied by a personal support person when you buy your ticket, or when you arrive at the venue.
Service Animals
We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. Service animals are allowed in the parts of our venues that are open to the public.
Washrooms
All our indoor performance venues (A Space Gallery, The Citadel: Ross Centre for Dance, Native Earth’s Aki Studio at Daniels Spectrum, Factory Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, the Theatre Centre, and Trinity St. Paul’s Church Gymnasium) have physically accessible All-Gender washrooms available to the public, with the exception of Saint-Frère-André Secondary School.
Moving Performances
Some projects require audiences to move short distances to follow a moving performance. Close attention is paid to the terrain on the route in the development of the work, and specific details of this will appear on relevant individual project pages. All moving performances will be accompanied by at least one Front of House assistant or volunteer who will be able to assist you if required. Some moving performances may have alternate routes or slight detours to allow for greater accessibility.
Financial Accessibility
SummerWorks believes that anyone who wants to attend a SummerWorks event can and should be able to. We have considered financial accessibility in the creation of our ticketing structure and fees, and further details on low- and no-cost ticket options for individuals and communities most in need will be announced in the coming weeks, prior to tickets going on sale.
VISUAL STORIES
To help you plan for your Festival experience, SummerWorks offers location-specific visual stories for our main venues. These visual stories will take the form of PDFs that you can download to your device. The visual stories are updated annually to reflect changes to the spaces and programming. Visit this page when tickets go on sale to access this year’s visual stories.
Here are examples of visual stories from last year’s Festival: