EVENT
Can technology make the arts more accessible
Date 07 November 2024
Time 12:00 - 14:00
Location University of Reading, Bulmershe Theatre, Minghella Studios, Whiteknights Campus, RG6 6BT
Event Information
Can technology make the arts more accessible? Talk by Jenny Sealey OBE on 7th November, 12-2pm, Bulmershe Theatre We are delighted to invite you to this exciting event held as part of the ongoing Creative Entrepreneur in Residence Programme. Assistive technologies such as screen readers, captioning and audio description, have become an increasingly common part of the arts landscape, but do they really serve the needs of Deaf and disabled audiences and artists in their current form? And does the explosion of ‘immersive’ technologies, such as VR and spatial sound - often combining multiple sensory inputs and delivering personalised ‘experiences’ rather than just conveying information - raise new challenges for access? In this event, we will discuss the theatrical concept of the ‘aesthetics of access’ where accessibility is built into a show’s core design, creative process and team from the start, rather than an afterthought. We will ask how technology can respond to this, what the access challenges of new immersive tech are, and how we can influence the future development of technologies.
Event registration This is a hybrid event taking place in-person at Bulmershe Theatre, Minghella Studios and online on Teams.
In-person attendance is encouraged. Please complete the registration form latest by Monday 4th November to register attendance in-person or online.
A joining link for online attendees will be circulated nearer the time. In case of any questions, please email shweta.ghosh@reading.ac.uk.
About the speakers Jenny Sealey OBE, co-director of the 2012 London Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony and winner of the Liberty Human Rights Arts Award, has been Artistic Director of theatre company Graeae since 1997. She has pioneered a new theatrical language known as ‘aesthetics of artistic access’ through experimentation with bilingual British Sign Language (BSL) and English, prerecorded BSL, creative captioning, and in ear/live audio description methods. Graeae’s productions of Two, The Fall of the House of Usher, peeling, Bent, Blasted, Diary of an Action Man, Blood Wedding, and Romeo and Juliet, to name just a few, exemplify Sealey’s goal of artistic access in action. Graeae and Sealey’s positioning of Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists centre stage has engineered a cultural shift, influencing how the wider mainstream creative industry works both in the UK and globally. We will also be joined by Dr Mike Richardson. Mike is part of the CREATE Lab at the University of Bath and a Research Associate for 'MyWorld', a massive collaborative project that aims to drive the creative technology industry in the West of England. His research involves measuring audience experiences as they engage with creative media, including mediums like VR, film, theatre, music, and other performance arts. He has other research interests in the fields of sensation and perception, and Sensory Substitution; using technology to 'swap' the information available in one sensory modality to another. He completed his PhD by examining this technology to help provide greater access to exercise for visually impaired persons.
Event registration This is a hybrid event taking place in-person at Bulmershe Theatre, Minghella Studios and online on Teams.
In-person attendance is encouraged. Please complete the registration form latest by Monday 4th November to register attendance in-person or online.
A joining link for online attendees will be circulated nearer the time. In case of any questions, please email shweta.ghosh@reading.ac.uk.
About the speakers Jenny Sealey OBE, co-director of the 2012 London Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony and winner of the Liberty Human Rights Arts Award, has been Artistic Director of theatre company Graeae since 1997. She has pioneered a new theatrical language known as ‘aesthetics of artistic access’ through experimentation with bilingual British Sign Language (BSL) and English, prerecorded BSL, creative captioning, and in ear/live audio description methods. Graeae’s productions of Two, The Fall of the House of Usher, peeling, Bent, Blasted, Diary of an Action Man, Blood Wedding, and Romeo and Juliet, to name just a few, exemplify Sealey’s goal of artistic access in action. Graeae and Sealey’s positioning of Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists centre stage has engineered a cultural shift, influencing how the wider mainstream creative industry works both in the UK and globally. We will also be joined by Dr Mike Richardson. Mike is part of the CREATE Lab at the University of Bath and a Research Associate for 'MyWorld', a massive collaborative project that aims to drive the creative technology industry in the West of England. His research involves measuring audience experiences as they engage with creative media, including mediums like VR, film, theatre, music, and other performance arts. He has other research interests in the fields of sensation and perception, and Sensory Substitution; using technology to 'swap' the information available in one sensory modality to another. He completed his PhD by examining this technology to help provide greater access to exercise for visually impaired persons.
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