Community
Your gift opens the Opera House to everyone in the community
Many people in our community face barriers to experiencing the Opera House – those with disability, or who are socially, financially or geographically disadvantaged.
The Opera House welcomes these members of our community through building works to make the site accessible, experiences designed specifically for people with disability, subsidised ticket programs for the disadvantaged, digital performances for children in regional and remote Australia, and programs to include Indigenous Australians in the life of the Opera House.
Your gift today helps to make sure that everyone in our community can have their own inspiring Opera House experience, no matter what challenges they face.
Give now or learn more below about your gift for community.
Isabella's experience at the Sydney Opera House
Isabella's experience at the Sydney Opera House
Vision
Isabella is a bright, vivacious, five year old – and congenitally blind. Through our donor-supported Access Program, Isabella got to come with her friends to a children’s show at the Opera House. With the help of our specially-trained guide, before the show, she learnt where everything was on the stage, touched and learnt about the costumes, and then followed the action on stage with personalised live-commentary through her headphones.
See an audio described tour of Lighting of the Sails
See an audio described tour of Lighting of the Sails
Audio-described tour
For people who are blind or have low vision, this version of Lighting the Sails has commentary by a trained audio-describer who provides verbal descriptions of movements, actions and visual elements of Ash Bolland's Audio Creatures.
Our goal at the Opera House is to provide barrier-free access to the site, building and experiences that take place.
Handel: Messiah performed in Auslan (Australian Sign Language)
Handel: Messiah performed in Auslan (Australian Sign Language)
Hearing
In a world first, and in collaboration with Accessible Arts and Sydney Opera House, Brett Weymark conducted more than 500 voices of the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs to perform Handel’s beloved Messiah. The entire performance was signed in partnership with Accessible Arts, and the live stream audio-described live for people who are blind or have low vision.
Empowering musicians on the autism spectrum with Club Weld
Empowering musicians on the autism spectrum with Club Weld
Autism
In a first of it kind project, Rainbow Chan, George Nicholas (Seekae) and Eugene Ward (Dro Carey/Tuff Sherm) collaborated with musicians on the autism spectrum from and with other disabilities to make their own music in the Sydney Opera House’s state-of-the-art Intel Broadcast Studio during Vivid LIVE in June 2017. Read more.
Meet the performers of Dance Rites
Meet the performers of Dance Rites
Dance Rites
Dance Rites is Australia's First Nations dance competition. In 2018, thirteen groups represented nations from across the country — from Far North Queensland to Tasmania — in a powerful coming together of traditional customs and contemporary culture. The performances this year shared stories of intergenerational cultural exchange, protest, language preservation and community pride.
Professional development
The Opera House provides educational and professional development opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, including careers days, work experience, and paid traineeships to give them practical experience, encouragement, and employment opportunities.
Your gift today helps foster and celebrate a shared sense of belonging for all Australians.
Help open the Opera House to young students from disadvantaged schools
Help open the Opera House to young students from disadvantaged schools
Students
The Opera House provides $5 tickets for financially disadvantaged families to selected shows (See the case study below), and free tickets and travel subsidies for disadvantaged school students.
Your gift today helps to make sure the Opera House can keep its doors open to the Opera House for people experiencing social or financial disadvantage.
Staatskapelle Berlin Education Project
Staatskapelle Berlin Education Project
Secondary
In 2018, 40 young musicians from regional conservatoriums across New South Wales rehearsed and played alongside members of the Staatskapelle Berlin. A mentorship with professional orchestral players is a thrilling prospect for any young player, let alone when the tutelage comes from an orchestra as esteemed the Staatskapelle. We're proud to have facilitated this unique exchange of culture and musicianship with the support of our donors and partners.
2015 Creative Leadership In Learning Pilot program
2015 Creative Leadership In Learning Pilot program
Teachers
In 2015 the Sydney Opera House ran a pilot program to shift the way we worked with schools. The program focused on co creating projects with schools focused on a driving question each school identified. This short video is a case study documentary outlining the highlights, the aims and processes of the program.
Case Studies
Accessible theatre for children with disability
Accessible theatre for children with disability
Oddysea is an immersive sensory theatre experience designed specifically for young people with profound and complex disabilities. The hands-on story telling made use of all the senses – touch, taste, smell, as well as sound and vision - giving a life-changing experience to those young people who face the most challenges in coming to a regular Opera House show.
Thank you for your gift.
You play a vital role in treasuring and renewing the Opera House for future generations of artists, audiences and visitors, and ensuring the Opera House is open for everyone, for ever. Thank you to our generous donors.