Accessibility

In recent years, the concept of theatre accessibility in Italy has taken a decisive leap forward, evolving from the removal of architectural barriers towards universal accessibility. As enshrined in the 2006 UN Convention, culture is a common good and participation is key to the well-being of society. Today, the challenge lies in breaking down intangible barriers (cognitive, sensory and cultural), to enable everyone to experience beauty as a journey driven by desire, rather than necessity.

At the Teatro Regio in Parma, we have made accessibility part of our daily practice and a way of thinking. Our aim is to promote a genuine paradigm shift: moving from accessibility to inclusion. We want an open theatre, where the audience is not a passive recipient, but an active participant and a valuable resource.

For us, practising cultural accessibility means producing supporting materials, simplifying language and offering tools such as AAC – Augmentative and Alternative Communication. In this endeavour, technology is a valuable ally in making content more accessible, but the quality of the performance and human connection always remain at the heart of what we do. We firmly believe that the theatre should be a welcoming, stimulating and accessible cultural heritage space for all – a shared experience capable of fostering dialogue, reflection and creativity.

physical accessibility

The Teatro Regio in Parma is fully accessible. From the entrance, a straight, level path leads directly to the stalls, where four seats are reserved for wheelchair users. A seat is reserved for a companion in the row adjacent to each seat designated for disabled spectators. The companion must remain present throughout the entire visit to the theatre if the spectator is unable to move independently.

Spectators with temporary mobility impairments who hold a ticket or season ticket of any category (stalls, box, gallery) must notify the Box Office in good time; the Box Office reserves the right to change seat allocations where necessary in accordance with safety regulations. The Theatre also reserves the right to alter the number of available seats for technical or staging requirements.

Please also note that the layout of the emergency exits does not allow spectators entering the theatre in a wheelchair to sit down independently in a seat; therefore, to ensure they can leave the building as quickly as possible, such spectators are required to remain seated in their wheelchair for the entire duration of the performance. Similarly, spectators using mobility aids must take their seats in the reserved areas, which allow the aid to be stored nearby for rapid use in the event of an emergency. To use these seats, a prior request must be made by email to the Box Office (biglietteria@teatroregioparma.it), which will process the request and respond by allocating the most suitable seat in accordance with safety regulations and subject to availability. A standard ticket purchased by means other than those indicated above does not guarantee access to the Theatre for people using wheelchairs or mobility aids.

REGIO INSIEME

A project dedicated to inclusion and accessibility, outreach and education, designed to imbue our passions for music, theatre and opera with new meaning and value.

LETTURE IN CAA

This project is carried out in collaboration with Fare Leggere Tutti, a social promotion association that focuses on projects to promote accessible reading, communicative accessibility in the social context, and training initiatives on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). The aim is to create alternative ways of engaging with opera using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) tools.

CONVERSAZIONI MUSICALI UICI

Musical conversations exploring the operas on the programme for the Opera Season, open to the public whilst seats are still available.

MANIFESTO ETICO

A first in Italy and Europe, this social engagement project – carried out in collaboration with Parma City Council and “Parma, io ci sto!” – involves artists in supporting young people and vulnerable, marginalised and peripheral communities, with the aim of bringing them into the heart of the city’s cultural life.