Accessibility at SAL Events: A Primer
August 21, 2019
Seattle Arts & Lectures is committed to making our spaces and events accessible to all. We want to make positive adjustments so that our patrons’ experiences are the best they can be. Did you know, for instance, that if you’re attending a SAL lecture and require seating near the stage to accommodate your needs, but find the cost of a Patron-level ticket prohibitive, you can contact SAL to arrange for seating up front, regardless of your ticket level?
Here is a brief primer on the accessibility options you can expect and request:
Open Captioning is an option for people who have hearing losses, where a captioning screen displaying the words that are spoken or sung is placed on stage. For in-person events, this option is already present at every Benaroya Hall event (including our Literary Arts Series, our Journalism Series, and most SAL Presents events). It is also always available upon request for all events in our other halls—simply select “open captioning” from our accessibility menu during ticket checkout. Please note: for events outside of Benaroya’s S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, we appreciate a two-week advance notice to allow us time to secure captioning services.
For online events, instructions on how to use the captions feature will be sent to you in your pre-event email.
Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) are devices that people with hearing loss use in conjunction with their hearing device (hearing aids or cochlear implants). These are available at all our event venues:
Benaroya Hall has an infrared hearing system, which transmits sound by light beams. Headsets are available in The Boeing Company Gallery coat check and the Head Usher stations in both lobbies.
Town Hall Seattle has a hearing loop system, so you can switch your T-coil hearing aid to telecoil to have the stage’s microphones transmitted directly to your hearing aids or cochlear imlplants. To pick up a headset, check in with any Town Hall usher when you arrive.
Hugo House has both hearing loop devices that are telecoil equipped and one-ear headphones. To pick up a headset, check one out at the box office by the entrance when you arrive.
Sign Language Interpretation is available upon request for Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard of hearing individuals. To make a request for ASL interpretation, please contact us at boxoffice@lectures.org or 206.621.2230×10, or select “sign language interpretation” from our accessibility menu during ticket checkout. Please note: we appreciate a two-week advance notice to allow us time to secure interpretation.
Wheelchair Accessible Seating and Accessible Restrooms are available in all sections at our venues, and our venues are fully accessible to ticket holders with physical mobility concerns. Guide and service dogs are also welcome.
Benaroya Hall has designated parking spaces adjacent to elevators in their parking garage. Elevators with Braille signage go to all levels within the Hall. A unisex restroom is also available. At every event at Benaroya Hall, we welcome you to use the “ADA/Student” entrance to the far left of the lobby doors for priority entrance. For more details on the hall’s accessibility features, click here.
Town Hall Seattle recommends that visitors use the 8th Avenue Entrance for events in the Great Hall, and elevators with Braille signage go to all levels within the Hall. The venue has 18 all-gender restrooms, as well as ADA-accessible restrooms on the lobby and Forum level. For more details on accessibility features, click here.
Hugo House is equipped with an elevator, ADA-accessible restrooms, and ADA-accessible seats throughout the auditorium.
We are pleased to offer these accessibility services at our venues, and they are provided at no additional cost to ticket holders. You may request accessibility services during your ticket checkout process, and our Patron Services Manager will reach out to you to arrange details.
Please contact us with any questions and feedback about how we can be more accessible and inclusive. Our Patron Services Manager is available at boxoffice@lectures.org, or Monday-Thursday from 10:00am – 5:00pm, and Fridays from 10:00am – 1:00pm, at 206.621.2230×10.
We’d love to hear from you!