Bosses at The Pleasance have spoken about their tie up this year with Sight Scotland, which saw over 250 members of staff at the Fringe venue receive specialist visual impairment awareness training ahead of the Festival.

Jonny Patton, Head Of Theatre Edinburgh for Pleasance, says “the accessibility training has been fantastic. Our team expands significantly during the Festival, and this has given both permanent and seasonal staff the practical tools and confidence to support audiences with visual impairments more effectively”.

The collaboration with the Pleasance has been informed by the Accessible Venues Report that Sight Scotland published last year, and which highlighted key barriers faced by visually impaired audience members attending cultural spaces.

That included poor communication, inaccessible booking systems, a lack of audio descriptions or touch tours, untrained staff, and inadequate design features like low colour contrast and unclear signage.

Patton says that, in addition to the staff training, Sight Scotland has also helped the venue to “bounce around ideas” and “make straightforward and effective improvements to accessibility”.

That includes more audio described shows and creative approaches such as introductory audio notes that add texture and context to performances for visually impaired audiences.

The training was led by Callum Lancashire, Engagement Manager for Sight Loss Councils in Scotland, who says, “it was encouraging to see so many staff participate, and we hope it will enhance the experience for both Pleasance staff and visually impaired visitors during the Edinburgh Fringe”.

“Training like this is vital for raising awareness”, he continues, “as small changes can make a big difference to someone’s Festival experience”.

Mark Ballard, Head Of External Affairs And Campaigns at Sight Scotland, adds, “By working with such a prominent venue to raise awareness and provide practical training, we’re helping to create a more inclusive environment where everyone can fully enjoy the Festival experience”.