Citi Performing Arts Center
Boston, MA

Main Website: http://www.citicenter.org

Accessibility Web Pages:
Wang Theatre: http://www.citicenter.org/theatres/wang/accessibility-wang.php
Shubert Theatre: http://www.citicenter.org/theatres/shubert/accessibility-shubert.php

Point of Contact

Ruth Mercado
Director of Education
Email Address: rmercado@citicenter.org
Phone: 617-532-1256
TTY: 888-889-8527

Overview

The Citi Performing Arts Center is known nationally as a true community arts center whose doors are open to all. With the belief that arts make and keep us a civilized nation, the Citi Performing Arts Center proudly looks forward to a bright future with the mission of presenting the finest performing artists and cultural attractions from around the world.

Citi Center is the guardian of the Wang Theatre and the Shubert Theatre, both historic theatres (developed in the early 1900s) restored in the 1990s. The organization's budget is approximately $8.7 million, and annual attendance is over one million.

The Wang, which seats 3,600, presents Broadway, theater, music, dance, opera and film. The Shubert, which seats 1,500, is the home for many local community organizations and serves as a venue for the touring companies that present Broadway, theater, music, dance and opera. In the summer, Citi Center presents free Shakespeare productions on Boston Common through the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company and a one-day, companion festival. Celebrate Shakespeare Day, which is a multi-faceted free event featuring workshops, performances, backstage tours and lectures for the public to enjoy and learn more about the works of William Shakespeare.

Several national and state organizations have recognized the center's community leadership with awards. The center received the 2003 MetLife Foundation/VSA arts Access Innovation in the Arts Award and the Bay State Council of the Blind Outstanding Access Award in 2005.

Strategic Planning

In addition to a mission statement that emphasizes the center's role as a community center open to everyone, Citi Center has a statement on accessibility:

Citi Performing Arts Center places the highest priority on the comfort and safety of its patrons. To this end, the Citi Performing Arts Center recognizes the needs of persons with disabilities, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and subsequent modifications.

Citi Performing Arts Center makes every effort to accommodate patrons with disabilities and communication disorders in compliance with both ADA and Commonwealth guidelines.

The guiding philosophy of the education department also demonstrates the center's commitment to serving all community members:

Our education department was founded on the belief that the arts are an essential part of daily life. Its mission is to motivate young people, inspire teachers, and bring communities together through innovative programs in the literary, visual and performing arts. In an environment that fosters direct participation and self-expression, we encourage people to approach problems creatively and to better understand themselves and each other. We also strive to make the arts accessible to those who may not have previously been exposed to interactive and creative arts programs.

Professional Development

Citi Center collaborates with the Cultural Access Consortium to provide accessibility training to all staff and trustees. The curriculum focuses on ticketing and seating policies, and emergency procedures.

Community Engagement

Citi Center solicits input from the community through its board of directors, committees and partners. The Citi Center's board includes people with disabilities. There is also a board committee focused on diversity and access.

Programs are planned with partners in the community, for example, the education department collaborated with the Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to create a community workshop on contemporary Shakespeare that culminated in an original work performed by students during Celebrate Shakespeare Day. In addition to several planning meetings involving Citi Center and school staff, and the teaching artist, this group also met weekly during the program for a formative evaluation. The teaching artist, who is deaf, promoted the theatre piece and the American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted day within the deaf community through blogs. Citi Center partnered with the Cultural Access Consortium to identify ASL interpreters for this event.

Programs and Services

To serve the deaf community, Citi Center inaugurated in 2006 an accessible Celebrate Shakespeare Day with 23 ASL interpreters available to translate all tours, workshops, discussions and performances. This event included a short performance by Horace Mann School students of an original work that connected The Taming of the Shrew with teen dating violence and issues in the deaf community.

The Wang and Shubert theatres are accessible to audience members.

Evaluation

The education department conducts individual evaluations with partnership program participants and the education team. The department focuses on outcomes, and uses a logic model with indicators developed with input from the community.

Tips for Success

• Be sensitive to the community's needs.
• Understand that relationships with community members and organizations grow slowly.