Accessibility & Financial Support

Our Learning Access and Inclusion programs help reduce barriers to participation, whether those barriers are financial, geographical or related to accessibility and additional learning needs.

Access and Inclusion

The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra is committed to making orchestral music accessible to students and schools across South Australia.

Our Access and Inclusion programs help reduce barriers to participation, whether those barriers are financial, geographical or related to accessibility and additional learning needs.

Explore the programs below to find the support that best suits your school or student.

Contents

Financial Aid
Free Relaxed Incursion
Regional Big Rehearsals Scholarship

Financial Aid

Financial Aid provides subsidised tickets for South Australian schools that may face financial or other barriers to attending ASO Education performances.

Who can apply?

All South Australian schools are welcome to apply. Applications are assessed individually, with priority given to schools that demonstrate one or more of the following:

– Category 1–3 school status
– A lower ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) score
– Significant travel distance or limited access to arts and cultural experiences
– Demonstrated financial hardship or limited capacity to fund excursions
– Other circumstances that may affect the school’s ability to attend

Meeting one of these criteria does not guarantee funding, and schools that do not meet all criteria are still encouraged to apply.

How does it work?

Schools can nominate the number of tickets they are requesting. Generally, a maximum of 50 tickets per concert will be available to each school, although the final allocation may be lower depending on demand and the assessment process.

Applications are assessed rather than allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications must be submitted by the published closing date and will be reviewed after applications close. Schools will be notified of the outcome in the month following the closing date.

Schools may receive Financial Aid more than once. Depending on demand, priority may be given to schools that have not previously received support.

If your application is unsuccessful, you will be encouraged to consider streaming the concert where available, or to apply for Financial Aid again the following year.

Free Relaxed Incursions

Our Relaxed Incursions provide a sensory-friendly and accessible arts experience for students who may find a traditional concert environment challenging.

These free incursions are designed for classes primarily comprising of students with disability and/or students who would benefit from a relaxed performance environment.

This may include students with:

– Autism or sensory processing differences
– Intellectual disability
– Physical disability
– Developmental delay
– Communication or learning needs
– Other additional needs that may make attending a traditional concert environment challenging

Schools will be asked to provide a brief description of the students participating and explain how they would benefit from a Relaxed Incursion.

How to apply

You do not need to complete a separate application. When submitting a regular application for an ASO school program, select the option indicating that you would like to apply for a Free Relaxed Incursion Offering. You will then be asked to provide some additional information about your students and why a relaxed experience would benefit them.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so schools are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Places may be offered before the published closing date due to the planning and scheduling requirements of these programs.

Regional Big Rehearsal Scholarship

The ASO Regional Big Rehearsal Scholarship supports students from regional and remote South Australia to participate in an ASO Big Rehearsal by helping reduce the costs associated with travelling to Adelaide.

The scholarship includes:
– One complimentary place in an ASO Big Rehearsal Ensemble
– A travel contribution of up to $500 to assist with costs such as travel and accommodation

Who is eligible?

The scholarship is available to students who live in regional or remote South Australia. Eligibility is based on the student’s residential address and the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) Remoteness Structure:
– Inner Regional Australia (RA2)
– Outer Regional Australia (RA3)
– Remote Australia (RA4)
– Very Remote Australia (RA5)

Exceptional circumstances may also be considered where travel requirements create a significant barrier to participation.

How much travel support is available?

Travel support is based on the student’s location and anticipated travel requirements:

Additional support may be considered in exceptional circumstances where travel creates a significant barrier to participation.

How to apply

Families applying for the scholarship will be asked to provide information about:
– The student’s residential address and where they will be travelling from
– How they plan to travel to the Big Rehearsals
– Whether accommodation will be required
– Estimated travel-related costs
– Any other information that may help us understand barriers to participation
– How the scholarship would support the student’s ability to attend

Successful applicants will receive confirmation of their scholarship support before attending the Big Rehearsal.