Bek Berger: Accessibility in Cultural Events and Curatorial Practice

Bek Berger is the co-curator of the 2024 Homo Novus International Festival of Contemporary Theatre and the artistic director of the New Theatre Institute of Latvia, both of which are partners in the DemArt project.

The New Theatre Institute of Latvia – an organization with a 30-year history – focuses on contemporary performative practices, collaborating with social theatre creators, artists, and non-professional performers in Latvia and across Europe. It develops programs, initiatives, and workshops that examine contemporary performance arts and works on numerous international projects. The Institute also acts as a connector, translating global artistic developments for Latvian audiences and promoting Latvian artistic work internationally.

One of its flagship events is the Homo Novus Festival of Contemporary Theatre, which showcases the Institute’s year-round activities in a 10-day public event each September. Held mostly in Riga, with additional events across the country, the festival is one of the largest art festivals in the Baltic region. Established in 1995, it has held 17 editions to date, featuring both contemporary and traditional theatre.

Bek Berger’s lecture focused on accessibility efforts within the Institute and the Homo Novus festival, particularly regarding disability inclusion and ways to involve people with disabilities in artistic and performative activities. The aim was not just to present ready-made solutions but to inspire action and ideas, and to discuss how to promote accessibility in culture not only for audiences but also for artists with different needs and access requirements.

Bek shared examples of past projects, illustrating both her experiences in creating accessible events and the challenges involved in doing so.

One project that struggled with accessibility was a collaboration with Australian artists Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey and 16 Latvian artists and poets, along with the festival team. The resulting work, “Witness Stand”, was created during the pandemic and invited audiences to experience public spaces transformed by new sound compositions. However, some locations were not accessible to people with limited mobility. A workaround was found through a partnership with local television, which broadcasted the events from less accessible venues.

Other projects mentioned included:

• a Disability Celebration Day during last year’s Homo Novus festival

• Queereoke – a safe-space karaoke event co-created with the Baltic Drag King Collective from Germany, which in 2024 was translated into both Latvian and International Sign Language for the first time

• and traditional theatre projects encouraging personal reflection on art, including:

  • zombie theatre by Kvadrifrons

  • performances for children, demonstrating the diversity of audiences

The Institute also collaborates with artists like Claire Cunningham, a Scottish choreographer who integrates crutches into her dance practice.

The Main Challenge: Accessible Venues in Latvia

According to Bek, the biggest challenge in organizing accessible events in Latvia is finding venues that meet accessibility standards. Most rented spaces are not fully equipped, so the Institute itself must ensure the space becomes accessible during the event.

When Bek joined the Institute, awareness of accessibility was very limited, and the topic was rarely addressed in Latvia. In response, they launched a 4-week educational program for cultural professionals on accessibility in the arts.

Theoretical Segment of the Lecture:

Universal Accessibility in Curatorial Work and Festival Organization

• What is accessibility?
  Creating conditions where everyone can fully be themselves. Tools like wheelchair ramps or interpreters are just part of it – it also includes quiet spaces for parents with children, accessible bathrooms, and captioning.

• No space is 100% accessible.
  There’s always room for improvement. The role of the curator or organizer is to get as close to full accessibility as possible.

• Information matters.
  If accessibility is considered in the planning of a project but not communicated clearly, then the project is not truly accessible.

• Communication builds trust.
  Attendees must feel confident the space will actually be accessible – not just advertised as such.

• Monitor and reflect.
  Who is benefiting from accessibility? Are they young people? Seniors?
  Why are certain groups attending while others aren’t?

Inspiration for First Steps Toward Accessibility

• Think in terms of disability.
  Most organizers (like Bek herself) have normative bodies and lack lived experience of disability. That’s why it’s essential to consult with disabled individuals to truly understand and meet their needs.
  Accessibility must be planned from the start – not added as an afterthought. This includes budgetingaccordingly.

• Identify allies and partners.
  Who in the community can help?

• Be patient.
  Building trust and community engagement takes time.
  Attracting audiences to accessible events is a gradual process.

• Educate your entire team on accessibility.

• Plan, plan, plan.

• Talk about accessibility.
  Sharing information is just as important as implementing it.

• Invest time, money, energy, and care.

• Never stop.
  Accessibility is a continuous practice. Stopping means going backwards.

Audience Questions

Where does the funding come from?
→ The Institute does not receive additional funds specifically for accessibility.
If an event is meant to be accessible, it must be designed that way from the very beginning, and every decision should be made with that in mind. This approach minimizes additional costs.

Is accessibility in culture legally required in Latvia? (It is in Poland)
→ No, there is no legal requirement. Cultural institutions in Latvia are only now starting to develop their own accessibility practices – not due to regulations, but through internal initiative.