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We know the most successful event plans anticipate a variety of needs to reduce barriers and ensure a welcoming environment for all — ultimately increasing attendance and contributing to a positive experience.
There are many inclusive components to consider in all stages of event planning, from the invitation to the presentation. Today, we’ll focus on venue choice. Whether you’re planning an event for fundraising, engaging, educating or celebrating, return to this preliminary checklist, guided by recommendations from Cornell University, to assess a potential venue’s level of accommodation.
Visibility: Consider people who have partial sight or are sensitive to light
+ Clear signage with large, high-contrast text for identifying location and directions
+ Well-lit meeting space and adjacent areas
+ Softer, nonfluorescent lighting with brightness adjustment
+ Projection screen visible from all seating
Acoustics: Consider people who are deaf and hard of hearing or are sensitive to sounds
+ PA system
+ Roving microphone
+ Limit unnecessary background music and reduce volume as much as possible
+ Seating available near presenter for lip reading
+ Availability of assistive listening devices
+ Availability of ear defenders to dampen noise
+ Well-lit space for an interpreter, if needed
Mobility: Consider people who use a wheelchair or other mobility aids
+ Accessible parking near venue (ensure the path to the venue is accessible in fair and inclement weather)
+ Proximity to public transportation
+ Ramp and/or elevator access
+ Accessible bathrooms
+ Barrier-free pathways
+ Wide doorways (at least 32 inches) with push-button or attendant-assisted access (revolving doors are not accessible)
+ Wide aisles (at least 36 inches) to accommodate mobility aids, like wheelchairs, walkers or scooters
+ No loose cables across walking areas
+ Avoid seats attached to tables
+ If possible, integrate accessible seating throughout the venue, not grouped in the same area
Technology: Consider people who use adaptive devices
+ Electrical outlets in accessible seating areas to accommodate devices, laptops, etc.
+ Extra space or work surface
+ Hybrid attendance option (Zoom’s website provides accessibility recommendations)
Implementation considerations
No venue can realistically accommodate every possible need. In the event invitation, you can ask guests to contact a specific person with their accommodation needs, ideally at least two weeks before the event date, or provide a list of accommodations you can provide for respondents to select.
Creating and publishing an access guide ahead of the event also lets potential participants know what to expect. An access guide gives people the choice to decide if an event is right for them without wasting their energy, time or money. In fact, it may encourage more people to attend if their concerns are eased.
Access guides benefit everyone. For example, if an event’s description wasn’t clear about seating availability, a variety of people may not show up, such as people who are tired from working on their feet that day or those who have difficulty standing for long periods of time.
While creating an access guide takes significant time, it can be largely repurposed for the next event in the same venue. And it’s always worth it to make sure attendees can confidently show up.
Best practices continually evolve, and this is by no means a definitive resource for choosing inclusive venues. If you feel overwhelmed by incorporating more inclusive practices into event planning, remember: best practices take practice, and any effort is progress. Try out some of the advice in this blog for your next event and keep building upon it in the future.
