Sensorium Theatre
Improving the lives of extra special kids with extra sensory performance.
Sensorium Theatre is a social enterprise dedicated to improving the lives of children with disabilities by sparking their imaginations through performances especially designed for them. They train educators, carers and families in sensory and creative techniques. They enable arts venues to increase social inclusion by providing disability specific shows.
2015 Pitch
Funds raised: $23,075
TFN facilitated $23,075 for Sensorium Theatre in March 2015. This enabled the organisation to create and use a new mobile performance set that is easy to set up and pack down to transport between locations.
The impact...
Senses are a huge part of the way we experience the world. For young people with disabilities, sensory engagement can be especially meaningful. Sensorium Theatre recognises the connection between igniting children’s senses and gripping their imaginations in a way that helps them to grow.
In Sensorium’s highly-interactive shows, kids are encouraged to engage with stage sets and performers as part of the performance itself. In this way, Sensorium promotes the social and cultural inclusion of young people with disabilities while acknowledging the power of their imaginations in their personal development. The organisation also trains educators, carers, and families in sensory and creative techniques.
The set includes a soft flooring mat, blow up bean bags and small portable clams for children to explore sea creatures, shells and sand. This new set allowed more children to access Sensorium’s workshops: 370 young people experienced the new performance model in 2015, and at least 350 kids and 100 educators are anticipated to benefit from Sensorium residencies in 2016.
Robert* is a teenager with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Eye gaze is his main mode of communication, and his cognitive abilities function very well. Robert loved participating in the Oddysea workshops and performances at the Sydney Opera House as his poor eyesight and limited hearing were supplemented with opportunities to touch and feel the story unfold around him. Robert’s mother approached Sensorium after the performance and thanked the performers for really “seeing” her son, and creating a piece of theatre he could enjoy - a rare experience for him. This is the ultimate effect of Sensorium’s work. *Not his real name
Experience a taste of Sensorium's Oddysea immersion theatre at the Sydney Opera House...
Plus the new model of mobile workshops in action at the Sydney Opera house with Wairoa Special School and Oddysea's 2015 pilot season for youngsters in Mandurah...
Read their Impact Report
Learn more about Sensorium Theatre.
Supporting Sustainable Development Goals:
