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< Back DAT Time of Year Regional News 21 Oct 2024 Link to Regional News write up on DAT Fest . Article is in the bottom left of the page with a mid shot of Susan. Susan is wearing their awesome glasses and a stripey coloured shirt. The article text reads: In 2022, the Disabled Artists Festival of Theatre entered stage right, making its grand exit arm in arm with a Wellington Theatre Award for social change. DAFT returned in 2023, delighting audiences anew. Now, the festival returns bigger, brighter, and more accessible than ever before as DAT Fest. Showcasing Wellington based d/Deaf, neurodivergent, and disabled (DND) performing artists, writers, and filmmakers, DAT Fest will take over Te Auaha’s fourth floor for two weeks from the 2nd to the 17th of November. This means there will be multiple spaces for workshops, classes, rehearsals, and even hanging out and chilling – co-director Kate Spencer has already earmarked a room for a low-sensory quiet zone. The kaupapa of DAT Fest is making sure every person possible can enjoy the events, co-director Susan Williams [pictured] says. Every year, the festival ensures that celebrating and recognising the identity, community, and work of DND artists and audiences in the performing arts in Wellington remains front of mind. This principle rings true in 2024 too, with all kinds of inclusive and accessible events to look forward to. Starting with a launch and lunch on the 2nd, the DAT Fest in-person and online programme includes a poetry session on the 3rd, a comedy night on the 7th, a jazz evening on the 8th, a whānau-friendly day on the 9th, a sexy cabaret brunch on the 10th, Science for Sociopaths on the 15th, and the closing event DAT’s All, Folks on the 17th. This is just the start, so get hyped for the one and only DAT Fest. Previous Next

< Back No Labels Interview with Susan and Lauren 7 Oct 2024 October 8th: Disabled Artists Theatre Festival Our co-director Susan Williams and Accessibility Co-ordinator Lauren Hayes were interviewed on the No Labels podcast about DAT Fest. To listen to the podcast, follow this link ( link to No Labels podcast ). Previous Next

< Back Media Release 1 DAT Fest Creatif Kate 1 Jul 2024 DAT FEST 2024 Disabled Artists’ Theatre Festival 2024 DAT is a Disabled Artists’ Theatre Festival based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa (Wellington, New Zealand). DAT is lead and directed by disabled folks. We welcome the financial support and volunteership of our allies. New Look! New Name! New Diagnoses! DAT Fest 2024 coming in hot! The Team is assembled and ready to bring the most inclusive festival in Aotearoa, New Zealand. From humble beginnings in 2022, to a six week turn-around in 2023 to now a CreativeNZ funded fully staffed phenomenon of a festival. DAT Fest, co-directed by disabled royalty Creatif Kate (She/Her) and Susan Williams (They/Them), have assembled a fully D/deaf, disabled, and neurodiverse team of specialists to ensure inclusivity and accessibility are at the heart of everything they do and everything the festival is. DAT Fest is a two-week spectacular, designed to showcase and elevate the abundant talent in the DDN communities, and provide opportunities to practice, upskill, and connect. DAT Fest’s aim is to provide accessible opportunities for DDN performers and creatives to upskill, showcase work, and connect with peers; to provide accessible and welcoming public shows; to provide accessible and relevant workshops to DDN performers; to lead by example, and to centre intersectionality, inclusivity, with a human rights based approach (especially the UNConvention on the rights of people with disabilities, and #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs ) and upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi; to hold accessibility at the centre of what we do, and do our best for everyone involved with the festival; to respect each other’s, energy, abilities, individuality, and needs; to uplift each other and our communities; DAT Fest aims to be better each year than the year before, to take individual needs into account, and to seek and reflect community feedback. This is the first of our media releases. More will be sent out as we announce programming and scheduling. Susan and Kate are both available for Media interviews, please email: media.datfest@gmail.com to arrange. Welook forward to working with you. Previous Next

< Back Media Release 2 DAT Fest 2024 Creatif Kate 30 Aug 2024 Disabled Artists’ Theatre Festival 2024 For an easy read version of this release, please email media.datfest@gmail.com DAT Fest is a Disabled Artists’ Theatre Festival based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa (Wellington, New Zealand). DAT Fest is led and directed by disabled folks. We welcome the financial support and volunteership of our allies. Venue Confirmed! Dates Confirmed! DAT Fest 2024 is officially on the calendar! Our official venue is Te Auaha, 65 Dixon Street . Te Auaha is home to an incredible creative school that houses students studying Theatre, Film, Photography, and the arts and is now the home to DAT Fest 2024. Te Auaha have been super generous. Not only are they offering their 65-seater theatre Tapere Iti for shows and workshops, they’re also giving us their entire 4th floor to “take over” for the entirety of the Festival. This means we have multiple professional spaces for workshops, classes, rehearsals, and even the space to hang out and chill. Kate Spencer (Co-Director) has already earmarked a room for a low sensory quiet zone for those who need a safe space. We can’t thank Te Auaha enough. We can now make the festival bigger and better than we’d ever hoped! DAT Fest 2024 will launch on Saturday 2nd of November , with Orientations. Lunch and a Gala showcase, giving tasters and teasers from festival performers who shall set the tone for the rest of the fest! DAT Fest will have a full 2 - week programme ending on Sunday the 17th of November. An important detail for DAT Fest, spearheaded by Susan Williams (Co-Director), is making sure that every person possible can enjoy this festival. Arts Access Aotearoa has topped up the funding for DAT Fest so we can comfortably increase accessibility to Te Auaha. There are rarely any accessible parking spaces in the CBD. With Arts Access Aoteaora’s help, we are setting up multiple shuttle services from Te Papa and the Wellington Train Station in order to be able to accommodate and facilitate easier access to the festival. We want as many people as possible to attend without worrying about the cost of transport/parking/the stress of public transport. This is so important to the festival and is core to our Kaupapa of inclusion and access. Expressions of Interest opened earlier this month, responses have been flooding in, we will keep the form open till the end of August so everyone has had equal opportunity to access this festival in the way they wish. Whether its performance, volunteering, tech, behind the scenes, there are roles for everyone disabled and allies alike. EOI Form: https://forms.gle/PG8AFerNXfsL4Vp39 If you would like to contribute further to the work of DAT Fest and have the financial means, we welcome donations to the DAT Fest bank account: 02-1248-0617172-032 We acknowledge and are grateful to CNZ, Arts Access Aoteroa, and Te Auaha for their enormous support. DAT Fest 2024, 2nd–17th November, Te Auaha. Susan and Kate are both available for Media interviews, please email: media.datfest@gmail.com to arrange. We look forward to working with you. Previous Next

Donate DAT Fest appreciates any and all donations. The money you donate will go towards supporting DAT Fest artists. How To Donate You can donate to DAT Fest via an internet banking transfer or with cash to the koha boxes at events and workshops. Here are DAT Fest's details if you want to donate via internet banking: Bank account name: Creatif Kate Bank account number: 02-1248-0617172-032 Please use the reference "DAT Fest 2024" or the name of the workshop or event you want to support when you donate.

Resources and Access DAT Fest 2024 is hosted at Te Auaha in Wellington city centre. We are committed to accessibility. You can find information about venues and general accessibility on this page. You can also read DAT Fest's Kaupapa and Shared Expectations on a separate page. Contents Venues Accessibility Transport Kaupapa & Shared Expectations FAQ Venues Te Auaha Te Auaha is home to an incredible creative school that houses students studying Theatre, Film, Photography, and The Arts and is now the home to DAT Fest 2024. DAT Fest will be using Te Auaha's Tapere Iti theatre for shows and workshops. We will also be taking over the building's 4th floor for the festival. We will have multiple professional spaces for workshops, classes, rehearsals, and even the space to hang out and chill. For more information on Te Auaha's accessibility, please see their Parking & Accessibility page. Accessibility Here is some general accessibility information and information for specific needs. For venue info, please see the "Venues " section above. If you need other help, please email access.datfest@gmail.com . All Performances You are welcome to stim, wriggle, fidget, move around if you need. Please keep off stage if you can, but otherwise you are welcome to stand up and move about if you need. If you think you might want to stand up, we recommend that you grab a free-standing seat in the front row, which will make it easier for you. Let us know if you would like help and we can help find right seat for you. It should go without saying, but all Assistance Dogs are welcome!!! Support people are also welcome but please book a ticket for them so we have a chair available. You can use a ‘free’ option on the sliding scale when booking for your support person. Wellbeing Wingpeople are available to help you. They will be wearing beads to provide another sensory cue to identify them. Relaxed Performances We ask you to come in quietly and stay quiet in the foyer before and after, to provide a safe sensory experience for your fellow theatre goers. We also ask if you can please ‘click’ rather than clap, and, if there is audience interaction, please whisper rather than shout. If you would like to enter the auditorium early to get out of the crowd, please ask and we can let you in. Relaxed performances will have reduced volume/soft auditorium lighting. Stim toys will be available. Companions There is an option to book a companion ticket for free. Anyone who needs a companion is welcome to use this option, you don’t have to prove or explain why you need to bring a companion with you. If you need a free companion ticket, then please book one. Vision AD (Audio Description) is provided by our community Audio Describers, trained and advised by blind people. For shows the AD is delivered through radio transmitters which have a headphone jack. You can bring your own headphones, or use the single over-ear headphone provided. For workshops with AD, the community Audio Describer will sit with you and ensure you have access to visual information. Any event that does not have AD is expected to be accessible to blind and low vision audiences and participants without it. To book AD shows Book normally, there is no need to book a specific AD ticket. If there is no touch tour, please arrive 20 mins before the show starts for the intro and to get set up with AD equipment. If you need a companion, you can book their ticket at the same time, just select the free companion option for their ticket. Hearing Please check this website and Facebook for updates on NZSL. We have NZSL summaries of the festival and programme . Transport Accessible Shuttle Because there aren't many parks near Te Auaha, we will be running a free shuttle to and from the Railway Station, Te Papa carpark and certain locations in Wellington City and the Hutt. This shuttle is a 8 seat, 2 wheelchair, van with a hoist (link to description of the van ). The shuttle will drop you off 30 minutes before events and pick you up 15 minutes after events. We cannot guarantee shuttle rides beyond Wellington Central. We may be able to offer rides at the beginning and the end of the day to the Hutt, but this is not guaranteed. To book a space on this shuttle, please fill out the DAT Fest Shuttle Booking Form . Reimbursing Transport Costs If you need help getting to and from DAT Fest from other Wellington locations, we can pay your public transport, petrol and parking costs. Please contact access@datfest.gmail.com for help with getting your transport costs reimbursed.

Detailed description of BATS Welcome to Bats Theatre! This is an explanation of the various landmarks and areas within bats. The front doors The front entrance has stairs with rails on both sides. These are smooth and wooden up to a set of double doors. When you enter the double doors you arrive in the foyer of Bats, which is a hangout and bar area. On the left as you walk through the doors are a collection of round chairs and tables in a square area out to the left and on the right there is another section of window seats, armchairs and low tables. Both the left and right sections are shaped like a 3 sided rectangle. As you walk through the doors the final side of the rectangle on your right is the bar. You can reach it if you walk diagonally, on your 3’o clock from the door. This is a fairly high countertop bar and behind that should be a BATS staff around. Just beware there can be a bunch of glasses on the bar, so go gentle as you reach for it. The stairs and water station Now if you walk past both of the hangout areas, to your left is a staircase. It’s not a spiral staircase because the flight of steps are straight, but it’s like a spiral staircase with corners so you turn right a lot as you’re heading up and left a lot as you’re heading down. For the festival we don’t need to go upstairs unless you need the kitchen. On your right hand side as you come past the stairs there is a little hole in the wall that is a slot to get water to refill your drink bottles or fill a glass from the bar. Please don’t take any glassware into the theatre spaces. Box Office Opposite the bottom of the stairs, on your right as you walk from the doors, is the box office. Often in the middle of the space is one of those things with posts and a looping barrier like they have in banks, to make people line up for the box office. The box office counter is on your right. As you carry on along you will find the door to the office just past the box office on your right. Further on there will be a pair of double doors which may be closed or open, if they’re open, you will feel a door on the right hand side and a door on the left hand side - these might feel like they’re doors to other rooms but they are open double doors. If the doors are shut, push through the open doors and they will open away from you. Hallway before theatre This is when you will find the bathrooms. There is a sign on the wall saying you can use whatever bathroom you are comfortable with but they are still gendered. One the right hand side we have the bathroom that was/is the women's toilet and has sanitary bins in it, and on the left hand side is the accessible toilet and the bathroom with the urinals in it. As we carry on along, on the right hand side there is a bench against the wall next to the toilets, then we go through, the floor changes to a more echoey wood, and you go through the doors at the end of the space and that is the theatre space. Theatre Space As you come into the theatre space on each side there’s wooden walls, if you reach upwards you’ll discover that these start to give way to railings at first above your head and then beside you as you walk along, sort of sloping railings up above. The theatre space in front of you is a great big rectangle, when you enter you are coming down the middle of the seating block essentially. Once you’ve come through the seating block, to your left on the wall is the fire door, and at your left and right are the seats at the front row. In front of you is a big open stage space with three doors along the back wall and one door up high along the back wall with no way to get up to it except behind the stage. If you’ve walked down the corridor between the seating blocks, and take a few steps out and turn around, you’ll see the seating blocks rising up on either side of the corridor you just walked down. Those are the main features of getting through to the theatre. Other floors If instead you’ve walked up the staircase in the foyer, you’ve found the other floors of BATS. If you go all the way up, you’ll turn right, until the first time you can turn left, you’ll know that you reached the next level up. If you were to go up to your left there’s some more stairs and the dome space, and then if you turn right at the top of that flight of stairs you’ll find there’s more toilets. If instead you turned away from the dome, you’ll find a railing across a couple of items blocking the way and on the left there’s a table and some chairs to sit at and the BATS' kitchen, on the left in the middle of that wall just after the chairs and tables. So if you’ve climbed the stairs and turned right, the kitchen is on your left. The Kitchen The microwave is very temperamental, sometimes you have to turn it off at the wall and on again. Within the kitchen, the microwave is up high and to the left, the sink is in front of you on the opposite wall, and the rubbish and recycle bins are to your right. The green room space which may or may not be available is a door on the right hand side of the kitchen if you’re standing in the door way. Accessible Entrance The accessible entrance, instead of going up the flight of stairs at the front, move to the left of the building i.e. with the building on your right side, until you reach the far wall and turn right down the side of the building. This takes you down an alley between BATS and the fire station. Down this alley to the left of the theatre, there is a door on the right, this will take you through the fire door, into the theatre. e microwave is up high and to the left, the sink is in front of you on the opposite wall, and the rubbish and recycle bins are to your right. The green room space which may or may not be available is a door on the right hand side of the kitchen if you’re standing in the door way.

D.A.F.T 2022 is presented by, and showcases Wellington based, Disabled performing artists, writers and filmmakers. The Festival is being held over seven days across three accessible venues, BATS Theatre, Fringe Bar & Two/FiftySeven Willis Street. Our intention is to develop and grow the Festival as an annual event with 2022 being the first time the Festival has been held. The Festival aims to celebrate and recognise the identity and work of Disabled artists and audiences in the performing arts in Wellington. D.A.F.T will provide a platform for disabled artists to develop and showcase their work and offer accessible events to Deaf and Disabled audiences and the wider community. Festival Directors for 2022 are Kate Spencer and Susan Williams, each Disabled performing artists, producers and makers. Arts Access Aotearoa, Disability Pride Aotearoa, Barbarian Productions & Silver Noodle Soup Film & Theatre Company are key supporters of the D.A.F.T 2022. If you would like to be a present your work as part of D.A.F.T or participate in the directorship and production of the festival please contact us . DAFT Koha box is available for any donations on workshop days, please only donate if you want and are able to. No pressure! Please sign up in advance if you are keen to attend a workshop because spaces are limited. If you have any access needs or questions please email Bernadette . You are welcome to bring a support person, assistance dog, or anyone or anything else that will help you be comfortable and able to participate. We will have friendly, super helpful volunteers who will be keen to answer any questions and help you have a good experience at BATS Theatre & the workshop Accessibility info: The workshops will be held in The Stage Theatre on the ground floor at BATS Theatre, 1 Kent Tce, Mt Vic. The BATS Theatre venue and facilities are fully accessible - ramp access to the building is on the left hand side of the building, go to the doorway at the top of the ramp and we be there to welcome you - there is an accessible toilet and bathroom Workshop presenters and volunteers can offer Audio Description within the workshop We apologise that we are unable to offer NZSL for the workshops this year

Meet the Team Creatif Kate Role in DAT Fest 2024: Co-Director, Workshop Facilitator The GOAT. Multi-award winning, multi-talented, multi-chronic illness having, creative force behind DAT Fest, Femmes & Thems Comedy, and more. Full-time artist since 2018: producer, performer, poet. Disabled, queer, furious feminist with an intersectional lens. Driven, determined, decisive. Susan Williams Role in DAT Fest 2024: Co-Director, Workshop Facilitator Ace Access Advisor & workshop leader. Legendary legacy in the arts sector. Swiss army knife in vaguely human form: activist, actor, anything at all (can't say no). Jamie Fenton Role in DAT Fest 2024: Festival Co-ordinator Jamie is an actor and occasional stand-up comic raised and based in Taranaki. Jamie works as a data analyst and has studied with The Hub Studio (Sydney) and Stage Centre (Taranaki) and has acted in various stage shows in Wellington including Summer Star Trek (2013-2018), Binge and Chill (2019), and Don’t Date Androids (2018). Jamie works as a Data Analyst and has a Master’s in Business Analytics (Marketing) from Massey University. Liv Ward Role in DAT Fest 2024: Designer Liv is a trans-non-binary comic and designer based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. They love accessible design and making art a sustainable career in Aotearoa. They graduated from Te Herenga Waka Architecture School in 2022 and are passionate about housing equity and land back! Free Palestine bitches! Charlie Hann Role in DAT Fest 2024: Website Designer Charlie Hann has some experience in website design and web accessibility. They have also done theatre production for the Victoria Ancient Theatre Society, Illegally Blind and Women Drinking Hemlock. Charlie has also been involved in multiple productions with amateur theatre group Drama Christi as an actor and scriptwriter. He is trying to publish his first novel about queer pirates and working on his second novel about queer spaceships. They are proudly Autistic, ADHD, mentally ill, and queer. Lauren Hayes Role in DAT Fest 2024: Accessibility Co-ordinator, Blind Consultant Lauren is a creative and passionate Digital and Arts Accessibility Consultant. Originally from Melbourne, she now calls Aotearoa home. Lauren has over 8 years’ experience in collaborating with organisations to review and provide guidance on best practice regarding accessible and inclusive design of products and services. As a freelancer, Lauren has significant experience in providing technical and advisory support to not-for-profit, disability, arts and community organisations, including Arts Access Victoria, Melbourne Fringe, Canva, Arts Access Aotearoa, the Show me Shorts Film Festival, and the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts. When she’s not auditing websites or helping artists to make their work accessible, you’ll find Lauren checking out live concerts and theatre, learning Welsh, or exploring local cafes. Lyneen Role in DAT Fest 2024: Deaf Consultant, NZSL Co-ordinator Katie Wild Role in DAT Fest 2024: Volunteer Co-ordinator, First Aid Katie has a background in acting (Only F**Ks Pat Me On The Head, Molten Tears ‘pon Withered Vine), and is part of the New Zealand Film Collaborators team who are striving to make filmmaking more accessible. She has lived experience with AuDHD, chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia (chronic pain). When she’s not nurturing her four beautiful children, or at work nurturing other children (as a kindy teacher), Katie can found raising orphaned animals, creating nourishing meals, or working on a film set. She has a huge drive to help others find inspiration, and pursue what lights up their life. Witnessing someone be in their element, loving what they’re doing, is truly an honour. Wesley Role in DAT Fest 2024: Assistant to Creatif Kate Bethany Miller Role in DAT Fest: Assistant to Susan Williams Keegan Role in DAT Fest 2024: Marketing EJ Barrett Role in DAT Fest 2024: Finance and Wellbeing Co-ordinator

Kaupapa and Shared Expectations This page contains DAT Fest's Kaupapa and Shared Expectations Contents DAT Fest 2024 Kaupapa & Goals What is DAT Fest? What are the DAT Fest Goals? DAT Fest 2024 Shared Expectations What are Shared Expectations? What we are asking you to do: Who Has To Follow The Shared Expectations? If you need help: Easy Read Versions Audio Shared Expectations and Kaupapa DAT Fest 2024 Kaupapa & Goals What is DAT Fest? A two-week spectacular, designed to showcase and encourage the huge amount of talent and potential in the D/deaf, Disabled, Neurodivergent (DDN) communities DDN led An all DDN lineup of performances Provide opportunities to practice, upskill, and connect. What are the DAT Fest Goals? Provide accessible opportunities for DDN performers and creatives. Help DDN performers and creatives to learn new skills, present and perform their work, and hang out with other people like them. Offer accessible and welcoming public shows. Offer accessible and relevant workshops to DDN performers. To lead by example. We keep intersectionality and inclusivity at the centre of what we do, with a human rights based approach (especially the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, and #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs). Make sure accessibility is at the centre of what we do, and do our best for everyone involved with the festival. We respect each other’s spoons, energy, abilities, individuality, and needs. We uplift each other and our communities. We will always try to improve. No festival is perfect, and there is no such thing as ‘completely accessible for everyone’. DAT Fest aims to be better each year than the year before, to take individual needs into account, and to seek and reflect community feedback. We contract DDN people whenever possible, as part of supporting and upskilling our communities, and providing opportunities. DAT Fest 2024 Shared Expectations What Are Shared Expectations? The DAT Fest Shared Expectations are a set of instructions to help keep everyone safe and well. If you have any questions or concerns please email: hello.datfest@gmail.com What We Are Asking You To Do: Be a decent, kind human. Treat everyone with respect, kindness, and dignity. This means no: ableism (including lateral ableism) racism sexism transphobia fat-phobia queer-phobia religious discrimination ageism attacks on marginalised communities or identities (including in performances). Please wear a mask when you can. Covid is still around! Please stay home if you are sick with a cold/flu/covid/anything infectious. Please do not touch people, or dogs, or mobility aids without asking first. Consent is very important. If you want to help someone, give them advice, learn more about their disability, or give them feedback, please ask them first if they are okay talking about it. Consent is very important. Remember that there are some disabilities that you can’t see. Someone’s disability might be “invisible” or “dynamic” or “complicated”. Even if someone doesn’t look like they are disabled, they are still welcome at the festival. Please respect people and the way they are. There are lots of people who take part in the festival, and that means there are lots of different ways to talk to them. Respect each other’s communication styles, cultural backgrounds, social behaviours, neurotypes, gender identity, and ways of being. Use requested names and pronouns (if you don’t remember, just ask again) Please treat everyone as an individual with the right and ability to make their own decisions, and to be responsible for their own actions and choices. Look after yourself. Do what you need to take care of your body, brain, and wellbeing. Let others do the same. DAT Fest is a safe space. Be your real self but don’t hurt people. Bring a support person if you want to. Lie on the floor if you want to. Leave the room if you want to. Go to the quiet space if you want to. We have a person looking after access. If you need to know more, email access.datfest@gmail.com Don’t bring alcohol. Te Auaha has a bar. Please don’t get drunk! Be professional, but the DAT Fest way! Respect your own limits. Care for your brain and body. Ask for help when you need it. Adapt as needed (pyjama zoom meetings for the win). Support and help each other. Communicate when you are able in a way that works best for you. Communication is key. If you are unwell, don’t have enough energy, need something, are running late, etc., please contact the team as soon as you are able to at hello.datfest@gmail.com Be a good audience member. Please support your fellow participants and performers by giving them your attention, in your own way. You can always move in and out of the room. You do not have to say how you identify unless you want to. Please be aware: it is public knowledge that all performers and workshop participants are d/Deaf, Disabled, Neurodivergent, or chronically ill in some way. If you need help, contact the team, or look/listen for a Wellbeing Wingperson. The festival team can decide if someone is behaving badly, or is not acting respectfully, even if it is not clearly listed here. We just want to keep everyone safe. Who Has To Follow The Shared Expectations? Everyone involved in DAT Fest 2024 must follow the Shared Expectations: The DAT-Fest team Everyone who attends a workshop Performers Teachers Wellbeing Wingpeople Audio Describers Other volunteers NZSL Interpreters. If You Need Help: Look or listen for a Wellbeing Wingperson. They are wearing a fleuro pink vest and a small tinkly bell. Find a member of the DAT Fest Team, or ask a Wingperson to find one for you. Email hello.datfest@gmail.com Message the Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/DATFest In a life-threatening emergency always call 111 first. Easy Read Kaupapa and Shared Expectations Shared Expectations - Easy Read PDF Shared Expectations - Easy Read DOC Kaupapa and Goals - Easy Read PDF Kaupapa and Goals - Easy Read DOC Audio Shared Expectations and Kaupapa DATFest Shared Expectations MP3 00:00 / 06:16 DATFest Kaupapa MP3 00:00 / 02:18

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Workshops Contents Basic Programme Participating in a workshop DAT Ground Based Circus Workshop Write DAT Story! Workshop Building Accessibility into our Arts Practice: a Blindness Perspective Workshop DAT’s Unexpected! Intro to Improv workshop with Susan Williams DAT's Technical! Tech Workshop Get DAT Act Together! Workshop with Trent H Baumann Write DAT Song! Songwriting Workshop with Maggie Cocco Basic Programme DAT Fest 2024 Programme.docx DAT Fest 2024 Programme.docx Participating in a Workshop You need to sign up if you want to come to a workshop. You can come to as few or as many workshops as you want to. All workshops are koha. Workshops are only open to disabled, neurodivergent, and/or d/Deaf people, and those with long-term health conditions (mental or physical), disabilities, etc. We don’t gatekeep, and you don’t have to identify as disabled, if you have lived experience you are welcome. Please see the FAQs for more info. DAT Ground Based Circus Workshop Tuesday 5th November 1pm-3pm Te Auaha Audio Described Tickets $5-$40 (Pay what you can) Ever wanted to run away and join the circus? Well Rain Renor is here to help, no running required! This ground based circus workshop will incorporate skills such as hula hoop, spinning plates, contact juggling and tricks with mobility aids. There's a trick and skill for every ability and disability, so pile into the clown car and come on down! Rain is a local non binary performer who often uses their mobility aids in their drag, burlesque and circus performances. Rain has a degree in Circus and Dance and has a special interest in how Circus can be adapted for every body and ability. Buy tickets here: DAT Ground Based Circus Workshop Write DAT Story! Workshop Wednesday 6th November, 10:30am-12pm Online $5-$40 Pay what you can Always wanted to write fiction, but don't know where to start? Tutor Helen Vivienne Fletcher will help you create an original character, and plan a story about them. Suitable for writers of any level, including very beginners. Helen Vivienne Fletcher is a queer, disabled, children’s and young adult author, storyteller, and award-winning playwright. She has been a creative writing tutor for over ten years, teaching adults through the Wellington High Community Education Centre, and children in her own business, Brain Bunny Workshops. Tackling heavy subjects with a healthy dose of humour, Helen describes her writing style as “funny tragedy” and invites you to decide for yourself whether you want to laugh or cry. She lives in Wellington with her disability assist dog, Bindi. Buy tickets here: Write DAT Story! Workshop Anchor 1 Building Accessibility into our Arts Practice: a Blindness Perspective Thursday 7th November 2pm-4pm Online Tickets $5-$40 (Pay what you can) We are all experts on our own accessibility requirements. We know what we need to make our Arts spaces accessible. But we're not always great at understanding the accessibility requirements of our disabled colleagues. In this workshop, Lauren will talk about her access requirements as a blind person. You'll learn about audio description, and talk about how you can incorporate it into your work, either using traditional methods, or experimental methods such as integrated audio description. You'll learn about digital accessibility, and how blind people use assistive tech to navigate digital spaces. You don't need to be a digital accessibility expert, but it's important to think about your digital presence as an artist, and whether everyone can access your content or book tickets to your shows. Bring all the questions you have about blindness, but were too afraid to ask. Buy tickets here: Building Accessibility into our Arts Practice Anchor 2 DAT’s Unexpected! Intro to Improv workshop with Susan Williams Saturday 9th November, 2:30pm-5:30pm Te Auaha $5-$40 Pay what you can For anyone wanting to explore making theatre up on the spot, along with more experienced improvisors who want to have some fun, and get back to basics. A fun, spontaneous time for all, no experience needed. Susan is an experienced improvisor, actor, and comedian. They have taught Improv workshops in New Zealand and Australia, and their solo-ish theatre show Illegally Blind (Bat's co-pro, and touch compass) was nominated for multiple Wellington Theatre Awards. Susan is also proudly disabled, blind, and neurodivergent. As co director of DAT-Fest, they aim to create a fun, low-stress environment where everyone is free to be themselves. Buy tickets here: DAT's Unexpected! Improv Workshop Anchor 3 DAT's Technical! Tech Workshop Wednesday 13th November, 1pm-4pm Te Auaha Tickets $5-$40 (Pay what you can) Knobs! Dials! Lights! Sound! Whizz! Bang! Flash! Want to be a gremlin in the corner and learn how to work a tech desk? Come learn with Em Maguire! Emma is a Wellington-based theatremaker, specialising in writing, directing and choreography. Emma runs the theatre company Tempest Theatre Co, which strives to take theatre outside of traditional theatre spaces; using digital, street performance and performance in found spaces. Buy tickets here: DAT's Technical! Tech Workshop Anchor 4 Get DAT Act Together! Workshop with Trent H Baumann Wednesday 13th November 6pm-8pm Te Auaha $5-$40 Pay what you can A workshop in developing your own unique acts and characters for performance. Discover a greater awareness of your individual style to communicate your world to the audience. Suitable for performing artists of many mix of forms, genres and styles. (Participants are encouraged to bring an idea for an act, though if not we will just make one up.) Trent H Baumann, The Birdmann is a highly regarded comic variety performer having graduated from QUT, the Rock 'n' Roll Circus, and has completed ten world tours. He has two half-finished education degrees and has taught at the National Circus Festival, Wollongong Women's Circus and the Miyazaki English Kindergarten in Japan. He was nominated for ‘Most Original Comedy’ at the Edinburgh Fringe, has performed at The Sydney Opera House and is the co-producer of Monfu. Buy tickets here: Get DAT Act Together! Workshop with Trent H Baumann Anchor 5 Write DAT Song! Songwriting Workshop with Maggie Cocco Saturday 16th November, 11am-1pm Te Auaha Tickets $5-$40 (Pay what you can) Learn the art of songwriting with Maggie Cocco! Hailing from metro Detroit, Maggie Cocco’s dedication to exploring the depth, breadth, and profundity of music has seen her perform in stadiums with legacy artists, galleries with avante garde expressionists, and many people, places, and musics between. Driven by a commitment to her global community, Maggie Cocco Music offers patron subsidized Pay What You Can services and contributions to various arts and social justice movements and organizations, weaving her passions into the fabric of her work. An independent artist, Cocco is based in Northland, New Zealand where she composes and runs community music programming between tours. Buy tickets here: Write DAT Song! Songwriting Workshop with Maggie Cocco Anchor 6