Registration for the Fall 2026 Cohort is now closed!
Reach out to Lindsay at lindsay@creativeconnector.art to inquire about future cohorts
The Access Playbook is a Disability-led cohort program for arts organizations and presenters that want to build stronger relationships with Deaf artists and artists with disabilities and make accessibility a more meaningful part of their programming and organizational practice.
Developed with support from the Government of Canada and Canada Council for the Arts.
Is this program a good fit for you?
The Access Playbook is intentionally designed as an introductory program.
This program is for:
- People working in presenting or producing roles who help inform decisions about what work gets programmed, presented or put on stage. Yes that includes art galleries!
- Organizations that are early in their access journey, rebuilding after change, or seeking a clearer starting point.
- Organizations that want to strengthen how they collaborate with Deaf artists and artists with disabilities.
This program is NOT for you if:
- You're looking for compliance-based accessibility training.
- You're in another industry like film, tv or media - the program is really about live performing arts or presenting arts. It does not specifically go into any screen-based access.
- You're really busy. You do need to make time to review the chapters, attend the cohort sessions, and develop your Access Action Plan so if your schedule is already completely overloaded, this may not be the right cohort for you. Consider joining a future cohort when your schedule is more open!
- You're an artists, performers, creators looking for opportunities to present work. If you are an artist with tour-ready work, please reach out to Lindsay at lindsay@creativeconnector.art to be included in our Tour-Ready Catalogue!
What you’ll walk away with
How it works
The program runs over 12 weeks (with three weeks of independent work) and blends short, self-paced learning with live, facilitated cohort sessions. You’ll connect with peers, reflect together, and apply what you’re learning to your own context.
Self-paced learning
You’ll move through a series of short online modules at your own pace. Each module includes short videos, plain-language tools, and experiments designed to help you apply learning directly to your work.
Live cohort sessions
You’ll join a small peer cohort for four live sessions focused on discussion, shared problem-solving, and learning from one another. These sessions are facilitated by Disability-led practitioners and are designed to be supportive, and non-judgemental.
Real-world application
Rather than assignments or homework, the program centres on experimenting in real situations — trying things out, reflecting on what works, and adjusting as you go.
What you’ll learn
Over 12 weeks, the program is structured around six foundational modules
- Ground: Ground the work in values and disability arts culture.
- Assess: Identify barriers through observation.
- Engage: Engage Deaf and Disabled artists early and build trust.
- Reach: Use accessible marketing and outreach to signal welcome.
- Resource: Identify the resources needed to support access.
- Plan: Develop an achievable access plan for implementation.
Time & flexibility
- Time commitment: approximately 1–2 hours per module
- Live cohort sessions: 2 hours per cohort session
Pricing
We know every organization’s resources look different. Our sliding scale helps keep the Playbook accessible for everyone while supporting fair pay for the artists and facilitators who deliver it.
- Under $200K annual operating budget → $399
- $200K–$500K → $999
- Over $500K → $1,599
What’s included
- All 6 chapters
- 4 Peer cohort sessions
- Up to 2 one-on-one coaching hours with Rachel
- Downloadable templates and tools
- Optional drop-in coffee chats with artists associates
- Access to our Tour-Ready Artist Catalogue and Network
- Completion certificate
“The Access Playbook sheds light on the grey area and illuminates all that is beautiful inside it… We realized something we thought we were good at is actually an opportunity to strengthen our organization and community.”
-Jeff Bray, Cultivate Festival
Why we created The Access Playbook
The Access Playbook was created with a clear mission: to create more opportunities in the arts for Deaf artists and artists with disabilities.
Rather than starting with audience accommodations, this program centres artist access — the conditions that allow Deaf artists and artists with disabilities to collaborate equitably with presenters, navigate contracting, rehearsal, and touring, and be programmed, supported, and retained over time.
We created the Access Playbook in response to what we hear again and again from presenters and artists alike:
“It takes so much coordination and time to make access work.”
“The language keeps changing, and it’s hard to know what’s right.”
“There’s never enough capacity or support to do it sustainably.”
This program exists to make access work clearer, more relational, and more sustainable within the real constraints of the arts.
The Access Playbook helps you embed what you learn into your workflows, policies, budgets, and timelines — using plain-language tools, real-world examples, and a supportive peer network — so working with Deaf and Disabled artists becomes part of how your organization operates, not an exception.
What Makes This Program Unique
See what inclusion looks like in action.
Try out tools and ideas without putting relationships with artists on the line.
Hold on to best practices, even as staff and leadership change.
Build relationships with other arts workers who share your questions, challenges, and commitments.
“It allows you to weave accessibility into your curatorial process and provides practical tools to help you plan, budget, and welcome more diverse artists to your stage.”
-Eric Goudie, Fergus Grand Theatre
Who we are
Creative Connector is a national arts service organization dedicated to supporting Deaf and Disabled artists. Developed with support from the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF) Government of Canada, we built this program so arts leaders and presenters can create more opportunities for Deaf and Disabled artists to be part of shaping Canada's performing arts sector.
FAQ's
Who is this for?
Programmers, producers, and presenters at festivals, venues, and artist‑run spaces who want practical tools to embed access.
How long is the cohort?
Typically 12 weeks with short lessons, templates, and monthly peer meetups.
What is the time commitment?
About 1-2 hours per module — you’ll spend more time doing the real work in your own context.
Can I cancel after enrolling?
If your circumstances change before the program begins, you can withdraw and receive a full refund. Once the program is underway, we’re unable to offer refunds — but we’ll always talk with you about what continued participation could look like if capacity shifts.
How accessible is the program?
We aim to be transparent about what we can and can’t offer.
We prioritize accessible, low‑friction tools; we also share materials in multiple formats whenever possible.
At this time, we’re not able to provide ASL interpretation as a standard support. If you have access needs you’d like to discuss, please reach out — we’re always open to conversation and problem-solving where possible.
Accessibility and Contact
Need this page or materials in another format? Email: alexia@creativeconnctor.art and we’ll make it work. If you have access needs for the cohort or info session, tell us in the waitlist form.
