Audio accessibility partnerships bring clearer sound and greater inclusion to live performances across Vancouver
Summer in Vancouver is filled with world-class theatre and live music, and Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility is proud to help make these experiences more accessible for people who are Hard of Hearing.
Through partnerships with Bard on the Beach, Theatre Under the Stars, and the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, audiences can enjoy enhanced performance audio using Bettear, an innovative assistive listening solution available through a free smartphone app.
Bettear streams live performance audio directly to compatible Bluetooth hearing aids, cochlear implants, headphones, or earphones, allowing users to hear dialogue, music, and announcements more clearly in real time. The platform also offers live captions and other accessibility features, helping reduce communication barriers in public spaces and live events.
The Acting Company of The Merry Wives of Windsor at Bard on the Beach, where Wavefront Centre’s audio accessibility partnership helps audiences experience every line with greater clarity. Photo by Emily Cooper.
Bard on the Beach
At Bard on the Beach, audiences can enjoy Shakespeare against the backdrop of Vancouver’s waterfront while accessing enhanced audio directly through their personal devices.
The partnership helps ensure more people can experience every line, every scene, and every performance with greater clarity.
Theatre Under the Stars at historic Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park, where Wavefront Centre’s enhanced audio accessibility technology helps more people experience every song, scene, and performance. Photo by Shawn Bukhari.
Theatre Under the Stars
Wavefront Centre is also proud to support Theatre Under the Stars, where audiences attending summer musicals in Stanley Park can stream enhanced audio throughout each performance.
Whether it’s dialogue or musical numbers, the technology helps patrons stay connected to every moment of the show.
Accessible listening technology helps more people connect with the music, artists, and atmosphere at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. Photo by Clayton Wong.
Vancouver Folk Music Festival
This summer, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival joins a growing number of organizations committed to creating more inclusive cultural experiences. Festival attendees can access enhanced audio while enjoying performances from artists around the world at one of Canada’s premier outdoor music festivals.
The festival also offers a broad range of accessibility services designed to support patrons with disabilities and mobility needs, creating a more welcoming experience for everyone.
Creating more inclusive communities
At Wavefront Centre, we believe communication accessibility should be part of every shared experience, from live theatre and concerts to community events, conferences, museums, and public spaces.
As the Canadian distributor of Bettear, Wavefront Centre works with arts organizations, municipalities, venues, and businesses to implement innovative audio accessibility solutions that help people who are Hard of Hearing participate more fully in everyday life.
These partnerships demonstrate how simple technology can make a meaningful difference, allowing more people to connect, engage, and belong.
Whether you’re attending Shakespeare by the sea, enjoying a musical under the stars, or spending the weekend at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, accessible listening technology is helping ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience the performance.
