Louis Braille Festival 2024

Everyone is welcome: From May 3rd to 5th 2024, the Liederhalle Stuttgart was the venue for the fifth edition of Europe's largest festival for blind, visually impaired and sighted people. Louis Braille and his legacy, braille, were honored and celebrated - even beyond the event!

Making the meaning of inclusion tangible and as realistic and positive as possible; that was the major theme in the culture and congress center Liederhalle and throughout Stuttgart for three days in May 2024 - and it should remain so after the Louis Braille Festival. The influx of 5.000 visitors, which was a true "European record", shows that accessibility and inclusion are no longer niche topics and should not be. Not least because of the aging of society, it is becoming increasingly important to make events accessible to all social groups and not to exclude anyone. The Louis Braille Festival wants to show what an enormous range of activities is possible for visually impaired and blind people. "We are very proud that this inclusive festival is taking place in our house and that we have the opportunity to honor the legacy of Louis Braille and celebrate the progress in braille," said Meike Poweleit, director of the Liederhalle in Stuttgart. And so, the three-day program was also record-breaking: More than 160 lectures, readings, interactive workshops and musical performances in the areas of music, literature, film, comedy and sport were offered in the Liederhalle and throughout the Berliner Platz in Stuttgart, including skateboarding with a white cane, shared reading and a motorcycle ride in a sidecar. Other highlights were the premiere of the current Black Forest “Tatort” (German crime series) with audio description, a performance by the Gauthier Dance JUNIORS, an ecumenical service and an excursion to the Porsche Museum, where the exhibits could be touched. The open-air stage opposite the main entrance to the Beethoven Hall featured performances by top-class guests. There were also around 70 guide dogs on site, led by mascot guide dog Harry. In the guide dog lounge specially set up for them, the four-legged friends were rewarded for their services with massage sessions.

The three organizers of the Louis Braille Festival, the Nikolauspflege, the German Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBSV) and the Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired Baden-Württemberg used the Liederhalle and the riding hall of the Maritim Hotel and their outdoor areas as event areas. The cooperation between the Liederhalle and the Maritim Hotel was particularly close. In addition, a mobility team was organized and the Bahnhofsmission offered support to festival visitors at the Stuttgart main station. The Stuttgart Convention Bureau was also actively involved in the organization and implementation of the festival. It took over the hotel service and was also available to advise participants on accommodation issues. It also organized two webinars together with the organizer to educate and inform the hotels involved and other parties. During the event, Stuttgart's mayor Dr. Frank Nopper and the state commissioner for people with disabilities Simone Fischer also sought to talk and exchange ideas with those affected and interested.

Differences begin in small things

The aim of the festival was in particular to celebrate a festival of diversity and unity with people of all ages and backgrounds. The importance of live events in raising awareness of issues such as accessibility and inclusion, which should be addressed by society as a whole, should not be underestimated, nor should the commitment of those involved to society. In addition, encounters between people with and without visual impairments should be encouraged. In this context, it is important for event planners to know that even small measures can often make a big difference, that it is becoming increasingly important for locations to be barrier-free - and that does not just mean wheelchair access. Event concepts must become much more inclusive. "Implementing accessibility in public spaces strengthens society as a whole," says Hans-Werner Lange, President of the German Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired.

What remains after the event

The Liederhalle is constantly working to ensure that all visitors have the best possible access and experience at the venue. All entrance doors are suitable for wheelchair users and there are several disabled-accessible elevators in the building, which allow easy changes of level. Disabled-accessible toilets are available in all foyers. The hall is directly connected to signposted disabled parking spaces and offers to set up a wheelchair podium at concerts on request. In preparation for the Louis Braille Festival, it has now expanded and improved its measures even further. These include eye-catching stickers on the glass doors and colored markings on the steps for better visibility. The labels on the toilets have also been revised to improve readability. In the Hegel and Beethoven Halls, the two largest halls, a permanent hearing loop has already been set up for people with hearing problems. A mobile system is available for other rooms and important announcements in the elevator make it easier for all visitors to use.

Since the personal approach to guests makes the decisive difference, all employees at the Liederhalle have been trained in how to deal with blind and visually impaired people.

The Louis Braille Festival in Stuttgart has given courage. It leaves people on both sides informed and hopeful. On the one hand, awareness of the needs of visually impaired or blind people has been increased, and on the other hand, the festival has left very concrete traces: There is now a signposting system on Berliner Platz. White guidelines and markings on the stairs will continue to make it easier for Stuttgart residents and all visitors to get around.