Creative Connector Updated on Jun 26, 2025 3 min read

The Access Playbook Pilot

A new path to accessible presenting in the arts.

We’ve launched a pilot of The Access Playbook: For Presenters — a 6-week guided learning experience for presenters who want to make their programming more accessible to Deaf and Disabled artists and audiences. This pilot is helping us shape the program with real-world feedback from arts leaders working in diverse communities and contexts.

At its core, this project is about amplifying the representation of disability in the performing arts — and creating more accessible, equitable opportunities for Deaf and Disabled artists and creatives to work in the arts.

Meet the Pilot Team

As we test and refine this first version, we’re grateful to be working alongside five committed presenters from across Ontario who are exploring how access can be more than just a checkbox, but a creative and values-driven part of how they do their work.

Meet the Pilot Presenters

Eric Goudie
Theatre Coordinator, Fergus Grand Theatre
Eric is the Theatre Coordinator of the Fergus Grand Theatre, a 254-seat municipally-owned performing arts centre in the heart of downtown Fergus. He is also chair of the Community Presenters’ Network, an organization of smaller venues and presenters from across Ontario, and vice-chair of Reseau SPARC network. In his spare time Eric is a playwrights, farmer, and woodworker, and produces plays with his own theatre company, Grinder Productions.

Greg Tilson
Artistic Director, Skeleton Park Festival
Greg is a community organizer in Kingston, Ontario with a passion for inclusive, grassroots arts programming. With years of experience supporting artist-run initiatives, Greg brings a collaborative spirit to the cohort and a strong interest in community accessibility and inclusion.

Jeff Bray
Co-Founder and Festival Director, Cultivate Festival
Jeff co-leads the award-winning Cultivate Festival — a celebration of food, art, and family that invites everyone to share in feel-good experiences. His festival ethos is rooted in joy, connection, and hospitality, and he brings a fresh lens on how access can shape welcoming environments across outdoor and multi-disciplinary events.

Franco Pang
Cultural Programmer and Technical Director in the Town of Ajax
Franco Pang is the Cultural Program Supervisor for the Town of Ajax and runs the St. Francis Centre for Community, Culture and Arts. He has a passion for bringing accessibility to the arts and helping break down the barriers that may prevent folks from participating in arts in any capacity.

Sam Varteniuk
General Manager, Registry Theatre
Sam Varteniuk has spent 30 years writing, directing, producing, and performing in stage plays, short films, and sketch comedy. His company Mostly Water Theatre was a staple of the Edmonton International Fringe Festival and regular contributors to CBC Radio's The Irrelevant Show. He currently serves as Executive Director of The Registry Theatre in Kitchener ON, and is a founding member of Lightning Banjo Productions, a Theatre for Young Audiences company.

What We’re Hoping to Learn

This pilot is an opportunity to:

Test how well our micro-lessons and tools support presenters in real-time.
Understand the different ways access shows up across theatre, festivals, and municipal venues.
Learn what barriers presenters face when starting or deepening accessibility work.
Co-create tools that feel realistic, responsive, and rooted in lived experiences.
Build a community of practice among presenters committed to Disability justice in the arts.

Want to Get Involved?

We’ll be opening up The Access Playbook to a wider group of presenters soon — with tools, resources, and coaching support to help you develop your own access plan.

Sign up for our newsletter to be the first to hear when the program is available, or get in touch if your organization is interested in collaborating or supporting the next phase of this work!