Guides, toolkits and more
The following list of and guides, publications, useful links, surveys, strategies and policies complement Ngā toi mō te katoa: Arts For All, published in 201o and then updated in 2014 and 2020 by Arts Access Aotearoa with support from Creative New Zealand and Wellington City Council. This guide provides practical and long-term ways to increase access to the arts, market your events to the disabled community and build new audiences.
Handbooks and guides
Accessibility in Theatre: Workshop for Independent Artists
In September 2025, Arts Access Aotearoa partnered with the New Zealand Fringe Festival to deliver a workshop for independent performing artists about improving accessibility in theatre for both performers and audiences. The online session covers topics such as accessibility planning, low and no-cost solutions, budgeting, funding, and marketing. The recording is NZSL interpreted, captioned, and audio described, and is available alongside an NZSL-only version, audio-only file, and transcript. Watch the full recording.
Working Together: Accessibility in Aotearoa Theatre
In this Arts For All Network national Zoom hui, Henrietta Bollinger and Nathan Mudge talk about the new Playmarket resource they wrote. A best-practice guide for working with practitioners and communities with access needs, it covers programming, planning, policies, budgets, contracts, riders, remuneration, rehearsal rooms, schedules, warm-ups, intimacy, costumes and make up, and design. It has an extensive section on casting advice, discusses creating new work and finding funding, along with information on audio description, New Zealand Sign Language, relaxed performances and content warnings. Watch the video and buy a copy of the book for $6 from Playmarket.
Attitude is Everything's DIY access guide
Planning a gig? Setting up a tour? You have disabled fans missing out on your shows because of simple obstacles you’ve never realised are there: they can’t queue standing a long time for tickets; they need there to be an accessible toilet; they don’t want to sit at the back where they can’t see. Easy things can be done to break down these barriers, bring in more customers and share your music. A UK organisation, Attitude is Everything, has created a simple, free guide called DIY Access Guide to help you remove barriers and be accessible to all your fans.
Accessible documents and websites
Blind Foundation guides on document accessibility
Two useful guideline resources for anyone interested in improving the accessibility of their digital documents (e.g.Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) for people who are blind or vision impaired.
Download Blind Foundation's Accessible Information
Blind Foundation Accessible Information word doc file
Access for Deaf and hard of hearing people
New Zealand Sign Language online
This online NZSL dictionary is administered by Deaf Aotearoa. Users can search for NZSL vocabulary by English/te reo Māori words or through the visual features of the signs themselves. Each word entry includes a te reo Māori translation, making the dictionary accessible in three languages. A free NZSL dictionary app compatible with the iPhone and iPad dictionary is also available.
Access the NZSL online dictionary