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10am – 10.30am Welcome & Opening Address with Rachael Thomas, Executive Director at The Rep

With Guest speaker Michele Taylor, Director for Change at Ramps on the Moon.

10.30am – 11.15am Inclusive People, Process & Systems with Julia Layland, The Rep’s Director of People & Operations.

With Guest speakers: Thrive to Work and Workfit

11.15am – 11.30am Break

11.30am – 12.30pm Meaningful Engagement with D/deaf and Disabled Audiences with Erin McDonald & Sarah Jervis-Hill, The Rep’s Directors of Audiences & Media.

With Guest speaker: Caspian Turner, Director of Accessible by Design

12.30pm – 1.30pm Break

1.30pm – 2.15pm Creative Practice: Working with D/deaf and Disabled Artists and Participants with Sean Foley, The Rep Artistic Director.

Guest speakers: Paula Garfield, Artistic Director of Deafinitely Theatre Company and Caroline Wilkes,  Associate Artist at The Rep.

2.15pm – 3.00pm Creative Practice: Working with D/deaf and Disabled Artists and Participants (continued) with Alex Summers, The Rep’s Creative Learning Director and Madeleine Kludje, The Rep Associate Director.

Guest speakers: Rep Foundry Alumni Michael Southern, Participants in Creative Learning projects, BID, Open Theatre and Sense Arts.

3.00pm – 3.30pm Closing Statement with Rachael Thomas, Executive Director at The Rep

All sessions will be BSL interpreted.

In Person

3.30pm – 4.15pm Talking Bodies Film Screenings

Hot Coals Productions presents Talking Bodies. Come and witness the first installment of these brilliantly crafted accessible films, both created by a team of Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent artists, telling the surprising, shocking, sad and funny stories through a series of Talking Heads style monologues.

These films are completely subtitled. Content warnings: please be advised that Talking Bodies explores sensitive material around suicide and sexual assault.

We Care by Steph Lacey
Directed by Clare Louise English

Annie is surprised to find that her new carer happens to be a man, a manly man, a very manly man. This beautiful and funny piece takes a dark turn with devastating consequences when Annie is let down by the system that is meant to take care of her.

Indefinitely by Karl Knights
Directed by Clare Louise English

What happens when the Disability Living Allowance you were awarded indefinitely is stopped? A period of form filling and assessment interviews that seems to go on…well…indefinitely.  A scathing and painful look at the benefit system for the disabled in the UK and its horrific consequences.

6.30pm – 6.55pm Drinks Reception

7.00pm – 10.15pm Much Ado About Nothing

All participants are invited to a drinks reception and performance of The Rep’s final Ramps on the Moon production, Much Ado About Nothing, produced by Sheffield Theatres.