Pros:

• Accessing performances online/through digital technology can be cheaper for audiences and allow them access to shows that may otherwise be too expensive.

• It also reduces additional costs associated with going to see a show, for instance transport costs, hotels, food.

• Often accessing tools and education on using these products are free and available online.

Cons:

• Often the start up cost of getting the correct technology is very expensive and a limitation, especially as technology rapidly develops and you need to keep up to date with the newest releases.

• Similarly audiences may not have the technology to access the performances and therefore buying the equipment would end up more expensive as a one off purchase than seeing a show.

• Specialist technology for development of shows can be very expensive and means only well established companies can front the cost to use digital tech.

• Specialist education is also only available at a high cost and again keeps production of new ideas with this technology amongst the elite.

• Cost may limit audience size e.g. you can only afford 10 headsets so can have maximum 10 audience.

• Funding is already limited and it creates a harmful divide, creatives who have more money can create more digitally complex art as they have wider access to technology, to experts, and can often pay for more time, space etc.

It is worth noting that, with financial accessibility, due to the structural inequalities that already exist, this will disproportionately effect those who are already at a disadvantage to accessing opportunities in the Creative Arts Industry, especially POC.

Pros:

• Lots of buildings can be physically inaccessible, with no lifts, uneven floors, etc. Being able to view a show online allows those who cannot physically enter a buildings access to a show. This is especially prominent in old theatre buildings that are protected and unable to adapt to be accessible.

• Some modern technology is being designed with greater accessibility of the tech in mind. VR in a great example of this where it's adaptable for different users, hand movement can be used if controllers are difficult to handle, or controllers used if the opposite is true. Adaptable design without inhibiting use is great for accessibility.

• Allows access to international theatre and a wider spectrum of art.

Cons:

• Often where the technology is better in some ways for physical access it is worse in others. Although it can allow access to inaccessible places, there is assumption of some ability to move around.

• A lot of technology for digital performance relies on wearable technology, this can be inaccessible due to the design ergonomics. A prime example of how inaccessible VR tech can be used is that studies have show women experience worse motion sickness as VR headset were tested and designed on male ergonomics.

• There isn’t yet good haptics for digital tech beyond vibrations, difficult for those who rely on touch sensation.

Pros:

• Theatre environments can be overwhelming and overstimulating, or traditional theatre viewings have specific behavioral expectations.

• Digital theatre can allow for breaks, setting your own level of brightness, volume etc.

• Digital formats can easily include, audio descriptions, captions etc. which can be selected and added as necessary.

Cons:

• They can be limiting in other ways, e.g. VR headset is bulky and uncomfortable and may be overwhelming to wear for an extended period.

• As mentioned above some of the benefits of digital technology can provide other downsides so it can be a balance of what is the best suited medium.

Pros:

• Access to educational tools is much wider as technology improves, you can learn how to develop VR applications on youtube.

• A lot of digital technology is focusing on intuitive use, ways of using the tech that is taken from real life experience, or learning, for instance using a grip motion to hold something as one would in reality.

• There is no structure of formal education which allows for more freedom in creating in novel ideas.

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Cons:

• Creative artists often come from humanities or arts backgrounds and don’t have a grounding in technology, therefore they would need will need specific knowledge hired in. This increases the cost and limits the way they can create as they have to be able to accurately translate ideas for someone else to build.

• You cannot assume educational access, do they know how to use the technology, how long does it take to learn to use it, can you make it easier or more intuitive to learn.

• Especially older generations will not be as technologically literate and so as creatives or audience members they would struggle.

• You cannot assume audience will know how to use the technology so you have to account for teaching audience throughout a production.

Funding will always be an issue so fixes need to be improving knowledge, ease of use, and making it a cheaper set up, not requiring lots of infrastructure.

There are a lot of factors that play into the use of digital technology, financial aspects inhibit a lot of the other factors. If financial aspects weren't a barrier it appears that knowledge is the primary factor effecting current use. There is an assumption of difficulty that surrounds new technology which stops people from trying to use it. There are also arguments to be made towards making the technology easier to use and more intuitive to all. Some digital creatives are against the idea as it means that the market becomes saturated and it is no longer a specialised skill that is in demand but something that everyone can do. This is balanced against the idea of wider creative use meaning more novel and exciting ideas, and again doesn't account for those who inherently have less access to learning this technology and less funding access. This could lead to a creative format that is dominated by the elite which in my opinion would be more monotone and with less spectrum of the human experience.

Another large barrier facing the digital performance industry is translation of traditional creative ideas into digital medium. Is this an entirely new industry or is it a subsection of performance, how do creatives who have been working on their craft for many years translate those ideas into a digital format. If you have both a digital and physical element how do you ensure smooth cohesion. It raises a lot of interesting questions around the future of performance and audience interaction.