Discover how Be. worked with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited to ensure that people of all ages and access needs experienced the thrill of the 36th America’s Cup with ease.
Tātaki Auckland Unlimited: Creating a welcoming 36th America’s Cup for all
Organisation: Tātaki Auckland Unlimited
Event: 36th America’s Cup
Attendance: 38,745 visitors
Be. programmes: Event plan assessments, Be. Essentials and Be. Confidence training workshops
Bespoke solutions: Tailored information to improve accessibility across all aspects of the event
The background
- Tātaki Auckland Unlimited deliver a coordinated, region-wide programme of events to maximise cultural, social and economic benefits for Auckland's residents and visitors.
- Our relationship with Auckland Unlimited dates back to 2015, with past projects including reviewing the accessibility of the Diwali Festivaland Lantern Festival, and the All Blacks and America’s Cup Homecoming Celebrations.
- When Auckland was set to host the 36th America’s Cup in 2021, Auckland Unlimited immediately got in touch.
The goal
- The goal was to ensure that the America’s Cup Race Village and other venues and activation sites were as accessible as possible so everyone, regardless of age or ability, could get in on the action.
The approach
- Our co-design approach incorporates both Be. programmes and bespoke solutions.
- Due to the scale of the event, we approached the 36thAmerica’s Cup from multiple angles.
- Work started more than a year before the first event with Be. providing accessibility assessments and feedback on event site plans for event organisers.
- We developed tailored information to ensure that race volunteers, staff and other stakeholders, including hospitality, tourism providers and event facilitators, were confident in how to provide the best possible customer service for visitors with access needs.
- A series of Be. training workshops for front-line customer service staff, security, and volunteers, further ensured visitors with access needs would be well looked after, including:
- The “Be. Essentials” workshop introduced the importance of access, focusing on the “why” and “who”, and looked at access design and thinking.
- The “Be. Confident” programme helped teams think about the way they relate to people with access needs.
The outcome
- Our multi-faceted approach ensured that accessibility went beyond the Race Village and on-water programmes but created opportunities for people to participate across the region.
- The key accessibility features that made the onsite experience more accessible and welcoming to all included:
- Online accessibility information
- Accessible maps showing things like wheelchair access, gradients, accessible parking and toilets
- An access hotline for any access-related queries
- On-ground support team trained by Be. to effectively respond to any access-related queries
The future
- Features of the Be. and Auckland Unlimited partnership will benefit future events in the city long into the future, including:
- The development of a comprehensive accessibility guide for event organisers
- The knowledge and understanding gained by the operations and production teams
“The biggest thing I’ve learnt through working with the Be. team is that accessibility is achievable on any event – regardless of scale or budget. There are always steps that can be taken, at little to no cost, which can improve the event experience of access citizens. Be. Lab are the most experienced in the field, their knowledge and connections in the community are significant.”
- Brad Pivac, Auckland Unlimited’s Event Activation Lead for the 36th Americas Cup
Do you want to partner with Be. to improve the accessibility of your recreational space, place or event?
We know your organisation is unique. That’s why our co-design approach incorporates both ready-made programmes and bespoke solutions.
Send our friendly team an e-mail today or visit our services page to find out more about how we can help.
