INCLUSIVE TOOLS FOR ASSISTING PEOPLE WITH BLINDNESS AND VISION DISABILITIES TO BE EMPLOYED IN THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES

<< Background >>THEAvios (www.theavios.eu) was initiated to address the exclusion and underrepresentation of blind and visually impaired adults in the field of theatre and performing arts. Despite increasing attention to accessibility, most theatrical productions remain largely inaccessible to performers with vision disabilities. The project responded to this gap by supporting theatre professionals and adult educators with inclusive methodologies, tools and strategies that enable them to work more effectively and confidently with blind and visually impaired participants. Rather than focusing on training blind individuals directly, THEAvios aimed to transform the practices of those who design, direct and deliver theatrical activities. It addressed barriers such as lack of awareness, inaccessible rehearsal environments, absence of adapted pedagogies, and limited visibility of blind artists. The project was designed to foster long-term change in how cultural professionals approach inclusion, while promoting more equitable participation in the creative process.<< Objectives >>The main objective of THEAvios was to empower theatre professionals and adult educators to develop and implement more inclusive and accessible artistic practices, particularly for working with blind and visually impaired participants. The project aimed to raise awareness of existing barriers in the performing arts, introduce concrete tools and pedagogical strategies for inclusion, and build the confidence of professionals to engage with disability in creative ways. Specifically, the project sought to: (1) map needs and gaps in inclusive theatre practice, (2) identify and promote good practices and tools across Europe, (3) co-create an inclusive Training Guide for use in theatre education and rehearsal contexts, (4) test and validate this guide through real-life piloting workshops, and (5) share results widely to foster lasting change in cultural and educational settings. THEAvios ultimately aimed to contribute to more equitable participation in cultural life by supporting those who create, facilitate and lead inclusive theatre work.<< Implementation >>THEAvios was implemented through a structured sequence of interlinked activities across two countries. First, the partners conducted a needs assessment, including online surveys and stakeholder interviews, to identify key barriers and opportunities in inclusive theatre. Based on this research, the team collected best practice cases and co-developed the THEAvios Training Guide. This guide was presented and tested through two international webinars and two local piloting workshops with mixed groups of theatre professionals and visually impaired participants. Dissemination activities ran throughout the project, including the launch of a dedicated website, newsletters, multiplier events, social media campaigns and video documentation. The final phase focused on evaluation and partner reflection. Regular online coordination meetings ensured effective project management. All activities were designed to promote accessibility, transnational learning and long-term use of the results.<< Results >>THEAvios produced a coherent set of practical and accessible outputs to support inclusive theatre practice. These include: (1) a multilingual Training Guide (EN, FR, TR) for working with blind and visually impaired adults in theatre, integrating 20 best practice cases and practical exercises; (2) a comprehensive Needs Assessment Report based on interviews, survey responses, and research, available online; (3) over 30 expert video interviews with artists and professionals; (4) two piloting workshop videos (Belgium and Turkey); (5) two international webinars with over 80 participants; (6) a fully accessible website hosting all public results and tools; (7) 18 newsletters, 12 multiplier events, 10 blog articles; and (8) six press releases (three per country), which were published across more than 15 online and institutional media outlets. All outputs were designed with accessibility standards (alt text, subtitles, screen-reader compatibility), and disseminated openly in English, French and Turkish. Results are already being used in theatre training, awareness-raising, and future inclusive initiatives.