If you have struggled with hearing loss, then you might have experienced some difficulty when attending public events at large venues. Major advancements in recent years have updated hearing aids with features that parallel contemporary digital technology. Perhaps the most innovative technology is the loop system in public venues, which provide the ability for sounds – whether an artist at a lecture or actors on a theatre stage – to be directly transmitted into your hearing aid via a T-coil. Loop systems are found globally, with 85% of Europeans using hearing aids featuring a T-coil.
Closer to home, we’ve compiled a selection of loop venues in Southern California, which welcome those who experience hearing loss to partake in the latest arts and culture events. There are also loud, public spaces that have been looped to assist hearing-impaired individuals with everyday experiences. Feel free to check in with us to make sure your hearing aid is fitted with a T-coil!
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Over the roar of airplane engines, thousands of travelers talking to agents at ticket counters, and the nonstop traffic of cars and taxis, an airport is an unnerving experience for hearing-impaired travelers. Certain areas of LAX have been equipped with induction loops, which will make your next trip to the airport a lot easier if your hearing aid is outfitted with a T-coil. For more information, visit LAX’s official website at www.lawa.org
Landmark Theatres, various locations, Los Angeles
Three movie houses in Los Angeles (Landmark IR, Nuart Theatre, and Regent Theatre) offer cinemas with hearing loops. The nuanced dialogue and explosive action of popular films will be transmitted magnetically from the cinema’s speakers directly into your hearing aid.
There is no extra equipment necessary: as the movie begins, simply switch the program of your hearing aid to T-coil. For more information of Landmark Theatre’s accessibility options, visit http://www.landmarktheatres.com/los-angeles/the-landmark/accessibility-equipment
Lobero Theatre, Santa Barbara
Though the Lobero Theatre is a historic landmark in Santa Barbara, there is nothing outmoded about its accessibility technology for hearing-impaired audience members. In addition to the hearing loop technology in its auditorium, Lobero offers assistive listening devices as well as signed and open-captioned services for attendees. Upcoming performances include selections from Handel’s opera Orlando (July 25), the Music Academy and New York Philharmonic Partnership (August 4), and Chick Corea and Bela Fleck (September 15). For more on events and venue information, visit http://www.lobero.com/
Cerritos Public Library, Cerritos
If you have an upcoming event or work-related seminar to plan, consider using the Skyline Room and the Skyline Terrace at Cerritos Public Library. These rooms offer a gorgeous view from the top – and also the benefit of hearing loops. These spaces can host meetings, performances, speakers, and even a banquet. To check upcoming library events and for more venue information, visit http://cerritoslibrary.us/
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
The Mary Craig Auditorium at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art is equipped with a hearing loop, which makes lectures from visiting artists accessible to hearing-impaired art lovers. For more information and upcoming events at this venue, please visit http://www.sbma.net/programs/events.web
City Council Chambers, Cerritos
“Democracy is a process by which people are free to choose the man who will get the blame,” the educator Laurence J. Peters once said. The good news for active participants in the democratic process: City Council Chambers in Cerritos are equipped with a hearing loop system. To see democracy in action, and to have the voices of your elected officials stream directly via T-coil into your ear, visit the City Council. Certain meetings are open to the public. For more information on upcoming meetings and to get more information on visiting City Council Chambers, please go to http://www.cerritos.us/
Rubicon Theatre, Ojai
IMAGE BY TOM HUNTER PHOTOGRAPHY, LOS ANGELES.
Between special events, a Broadway Musical Series, and their ongoing performances in the regular season, the Rubicon Theatre in Ojai has something for everyone. Their auditorium is outfitted with a hearing loop, which will deliver crisp, clear song directly into your ears. For more information, visit http://www.rubicontheatre.org/
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