Our Sensory Friendly Certification in Action

We're excited to enter our fourth year of certification by KultureCity as a sensory friendly venue! In the past few years, we’ve grown the use of tools and training by our guest services staff as more patrons take advantage of the resources we have available. We also participate in new trainings each year as well as in the Accessible Insights Consortium to stay up to date on how to best support our patrons. After all, this certification was not a one-and-done deal but an ongoing commitment to build access for those with sensory differences.

For some people, the worst thing about coming to an otherwise wonderful show is having to sit still for 60-75 minutes at a time, unable to engage their bodies. We're proud to be able to offer fidgets for people to hold in their hands and weighted lap pads to instill a sense of peace. Additionally, we offer noise-cancelling headphones alongside earplugs to bring comfort at a high-volume event. Our Quiet Area may move around, but it’s always available to anyone who needs to take a step away from a performance and recenter themselves so that they can continue to enjoy their time with us in a way that best suits their needs.

Since partnering with KultureCity, we've had a steady number of sensory bags checked out and used by our patrons. The impact has been most evident at Student Discovery performances, when our theatre is full of school groups, as our staff has the right tools and training to assist our youngest patrons.

Next time you visit Penn Live Arts, we invite you to check out a sensory bag from the Box Office and note the Quiet Area’s location before your performance. You might be surprised how these measures can improve your experience.

Willa Courtney is Penn Live Arts' Executive House Manager.