Our Timeline

Created Sensory Friendly performance series and continued to support audio described and American Sign Language (ASL) performances (ongoing).
Designated all-gender restrooms in our workspaces and renovated public spaces.
Joined the Access Pass program, offering steeply discounted tickets ($5 and under) to families utilizing state assistance (ongoing).
Expanded post-show discussion platforms to feature community members who share diverse perspectives on productions and relevant community issues (ongoing).
Implemented biannual training with Belonging consultant Sarah Bellamy (ongoing).
Instituted identifying pronouns in meetings as well as on email signatures to best respect the gender identities of staff, artists, and patrons (ongoing).

Created the Inclusion Series, which committed a third of our programming to telling stories written by and centering the lives of historically underrepresented communities. (In 2023, IRT halted the practice of separating historically underrepresented stories into a series and instead committed to a minimum of one-third of all programming be dedicated to historically underrepresented voices).
Created a land and building acknowledgement to acknowledge and pay respect to those who have been historically excluded or upon whose land we live and work. We include these statements in our programs and regularly read them in full company and board meetings (ongoing).
Created a Board Inclusion and Belonging committee to build support for our continued work (ongoing).
Began establishing connections with local leaders for our future Community Council (This council grew into what is now our Community Ambassador program).

Committed to ensuring that our creative teams engage people from historically excluded groups (ongoing).
Committed to eliminating the industry standard “10 hours out of 12 hours” technical rehearsal schedule, because it unfairly disadvantages caregivers and people of color (ongoing).
Created a staff committee to ensure staff feedback and guidance is incorporated into Belonging and Inclusion values and commitments (ongoing).

Implemented an anonymous feedback form for visiting artists to provide space for critical feedback on issues of Belonging and Inclusion. Feedback is shared with Inclusion and Belonging committees to inform the Theatre’s culture, policies, and procedures (ongoing).
Hired Black-led public relations and marketing firm Herd Strategies to deepen community engagement efforts with diverse audiences, reestablish relationships with historically underrepresented media businesses, and ensure that representation and voice in external marketing is authentic and respectful to audiences (In 2023, this review moved internally to our Director of Inclusion and Community Partnerships – ongoing).
Create a staff Belonging resource library to ensure access points for continued learning (ongoing).

To honor and value the expertise and labor of those whom we engage in Belonging and Inclusion work, all staff training, community conversations, and committee work is paid (ongoing).
Created the new position of Director of Inclusion and Community Partnerships to join our Senior Sstaff and lead our Belonging and Inclusion partnership work (ongoing).
Created a Community Ambassador program composed of a diverse cross-section of central Indiana’s community leaders and residents (ongoing).

Built an all-gender and family restroom in our historic Indiana Theatre Grand lobby. (completed)

Further develop the Ambassador program to include readings/discussions of plays under consideration for future seasons and create show specific cohorts to focus on community conversations (ongoing).