For the fourth year, we are paying special attention to the accessibility of the festival for people with disabilities. We still have room to grow, but we want everyone to have the opportunity to attend the Homo Novus International Festival of Contemporary Theatre and find something that suits them. The needs are very diverse, but we try to create content that is friendly to people with different accessibility requirements. We provide descriptions of accessibility of the environment, sign language interpretation for a number of events, and we strive to promote the representation of different bodies and communities in our creative work. This year, the deaf community (“Ode to Joy”) is involved in the production of performances and a special experience is being created at the Latvian National Museum of Art for audiences with visual impairment (“Deluge”). Some performances, however, are more visual, some are more sound-based, and some venues are more accessible than others. Therefore, before attending the festival, we invite you to consult the information about accessibility for each performance.

Partly accessible for audiences with mobility impairment

Hearing loss-friendly content for deaf and hard of hearing audiences

Friendly content for audiences with visual impairment

Latvian Sign Language interpretation

Sign language interpreters will be provided for the following performances and events:

Thursday, 29.08. at 21:00, the performance “Air Reservoir: a Dystopian Poem” (free, prior registration)
Thursday, 29.08. at 21:00, Green & Slow Festival Opening in the Festival Centre (free)
Saturday, 31.08. at 15:00, “Art is Young”, conversation after the show with Dewey Dell and young artists (free – location TBA)
Saturday, 31.08. at 21:00, Accessibility Celebration Night – karaoke party with the creators of “Ode to Joy” Amanda Coogan, Lianne Quigley as well as DJ Mario in the Festival Centre (free)
Saturday, 31.08. at 16:00, the performance “Ode to Joy” – tickets
Sunday, 01.09. at 18:00, the performance “Ode to Joy” – tickets
Tuesday, 03.09. at 11:00, final presentations of the “Cultivating Inclusion” series of cultural accessibility workshops in the Festival Centre (free)
Friday, 6.09. at 16:00, “Mammalian Diving Reflex” Festival School Graduation and Canada focus celebration (free)

Live subtitles are provided for the following events:

Tuesday, 03.09 at 11.00, final presentations of the “Cultivating Inclusion” series of cultural accessibility workshops in the Festival Centre (free)

Performances and events with subtitles / no or very little spoken text:

Thursday, 29.08. at 19:00, the performance “Le Sacre du Printemps” – tickets
Friday, 30.08. at 19:00, the performance “Le Sacre du Printemps” – tickets
Saturday, 31.08. at 14:00, the performance “I’ll do, I’ll do, I’ll do” (free)
Saturday, 31.08. at 11:00, 24h cinema screening “Y: Slow TV Cinema” – tickets
Sunday, 01.09. at 11:00 and at 12:00, the performance “The Nutcracker: Vegetable Ballet” – tickets
Wednesday, 04.09. at 18:00, the performance “MIKE” – tickets
Thursday, 05.09. at 18:00, the performance “MIKE” – tickets
Friday, 06.09. at 19:00, the performance “Queer Tango Club” (free)
Friday, 06.09. at 19:00, the performance “Symphony of Solitude – S.O.S.” – tickets
Saturday, 07.09. at 15:00 and at 19:00, the performance “Symphony of Solitude – S.O.S.” – tickets
Saturday, 07.09. at 21:00, WHITE NIGHT: S.O.S. Audiovisual Installation and Concert (free)
Sunday, 08.09. at 15:00, the performance “Symphony of Solitude – S.O.S.” – tickets

Performances and events suitable for audiences with visual impairments:

Friday, 30.08. at 18:00, one hour before the performance “Le Sacre du Printemps” the artists of Dewey Dell offer a 20-minute tactile experience. Please note that the performance itself is very visual. (free)
Thursday, 05.09. from 15:00 to 18:00, audio description of the performance “Deluge” in Latvian and English (admission with Latvian National Museum of Art ticket)
Friday, 06.09. from 17:00 to 20:00, audio description of the performance “Deluge” in Latvian and English (admission with Latvian National Museum of Art ticket)

DESCRIPTIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACCESSIBILITY

1. The Festival Centre, Marijas iela 11
Description: the ground floor is wheelchair accessible. During the performance a mobile lift will be provided for access to the 2nd floor, equipped with a special platform so that it can also be used with an electric wheelchair. A spare wheelchair will also be available on site if required.

Events at this location:
29.08. the performance “How Things End”
04.09, 05.09. the performance “MIKE”
06.09. the performance “Queer Tango Club”
31.08. Accessibility Celebration Night – karaoke party with the artists of the deaf community
03.09. final presentations of the “Cultivating Inclusion” series of cultural accessibility workshops

2. Hanzas Perons, Hanzas iela 16A, Riga
Description: parking spaces for people with disabilities are located near the entrance. Easy wheelchair access from one side of the building. Adapted facilities are located in the basement, accessible by elevator.

Events at this location:
29.08., 30.08. the performance “Le Sacre du Printemps”

3. Latvian National Museum of Art, Jaņa Rozentāla laukums 1
Description: easy access from Esplanāde Park. The building has an elevator to all floors. There are also adapted facilities. The performance is highly visual. There is a specially marked parking area for people with mobility impairment.

Events at this location:
05.09., 06.09. the performance “Deluge”

4. Riga Circus, Merķeļa iela 4, Riga
Description: the nearest adapted parking space for people with mobility impairment is by the Riga Latvian Society House. Entrance from Merķeļa Street. A flat ramp leads into the hall. There are adapted facilities.
The ground floor of the building – both the arena and the Horse Stables – are wheelchair accessible. The balcony floor is not wheelchair accessible. Hearing loops are available in the arena. Equipment is available in the cloakroom. There are 5 adapted facilities in the building – women’s lavatory, men’s lavatory, info room, gallery, Horse Stable. Please follow the signs.

Events at this location:
06.09., 07.09., 08.09. the performance “Symphony of Solitude – S.O.S.”
07.09. WHITE NIGHT: S.O.S. Audiovisual Installation and Concert

Event at the Riga Circus Horse Stable:
31.08. “Y: Slow TV Cinema”

5. Berga Bazārs, Marijas iela 13 k-4, Riga
Events at this location:
31.08.-07.09. the performance-installation “Adventures can be found anywhere, même dans le courage”
Nearby, outdoors in Berga Bazārs:
05.09., 06.09., 07.09. the 1:1 performance “Tell Daddy”

6. Splendid Palace, Elizabetes iela 61, Riga
Description: the Splendid Palace Cinema has several staircases. Coloured tapes are attached to the steps of the stairs, which help to see the steps better. The main entrance and the entrance to the Grand Hall have steps. All halls are accessible by elevator. The halls in the cinema have illuminated row signs.
There is a separate entrance to the cinema to the right of the main entrance for people in wheelchairs. It has a smooth paved ramp leading to the service entrance. There is a bell button by this door.
The adapted facilities are located on the ground floor to the left of the central entrance of the Grand Hall. There are signs leading up to the facilities.

Events at this location:
04.09., 05.09. “Super Night Shot”

7. Kokaru Hall, Mežaparks Great Bandstand, Ostas prospekts 11, Riga
For visitors with mobility impairments – please call +371 20366184 to get a parking pass to enter the territory. The show will take place on the 1st floor, where you can comfortably enter with a wheelchair. The building has custom amenities.
Events at this location:
31.08., 01.09. the performance “Ode to Joy”

8. Latvia Puppet Theatre, Krišjāna Barona iela 16-18, Riga
There is a parking space adapted for people with mobility impairments on Kr. Barona street 16 near the Puppet theatre. Automatic door at the entrance. You can use the lift to get to the 2nd floor. People with mobility impairments are requested to arrive at least 15 minutes earlier before the performance. Semi-custom facilities are also available in the building.
Events at this location:
01.09. “The Nutcracker: Vegetable Ballet”

9. Old Town Hall Square – Baznīcas iela 5, Kuldīga
During the performance, you will have to move from the Kuldīga City Hall to the Kuldīga Cultural Center along Liepājas Street, which is about 2km long. The street is flat and without curbs.
Events at this location:
31.08., 03.09. “Upside Down Kuldīga”

For more information: berzina.liba@gmail.com or +371 28649014