Overture Center for the Arts Receives 2026 Kennedy Center LEAD Community Asset Award

When a blind or low-vision guest attends a Broadway performance at Overture Center, the experience extends beyond the stage. Through live audio description and a pre-show tactile tour, guests can follow the action and explore key production elements, inviting them to engage more fully in the story being told.

This kind of intentional accessibility work reflects Overture’s leadership in creating welcoming arts experiences for all guests. Overture’s efforts have been recognized with a 2026 John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD) Community Asset Award.

The Kennedy Center's LEAD Awards honor a select group of arts administrators and organizations from across the country whose dedication has advanced the inclusion of people with disabilities in the cultural arts and whose efforts serve as models for the field. The Community Asset Award specifically recognizes individuals and organizations that continually demonstrate success in developing access initiatives and improving accessibility within their organizations, communities, states and regions.

The 2026 award recipients will be honored during a ceremony on August 13, 2026, at the annual LEAD Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Overture Center Chief Operations Officer and Co-CEO Mike Conway and Director of Guest Services Tom Klubertanz will accept the award on behalf of the organization.

"We are thrilled to receive this important award from The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, a national leader in performing arts education and access," said Klubertanz. "Being recognized as a community asset for helping all guests feel welcome is a profound honor and a testament to the staff and volunteers who create extraordinary experiences every day."

Over the past five years, Overture Center has invested in a renewed approach to accessibility and belonging, implementing several groundbreaking initiatives designed to make the performing arts more welcoming and inclusive for all.

Among these efforts, Overture Center developed its robust program of live audio description services and tactile tours for blind and low-vision guests. The organization also designed and implemented Accessibility Hubs in prominent areas throughout the building, allowing guests to easily access assistive devices and tools that enhance their performance experience.

Additionally, Overture Center became the first performing arts center in Wisconsin to be certified as a Sensory Inclusive™ Facility through KultureCity. As part of this certification, all Guest Services staff and volunteers underwent specialized training to better understand and support guests with sensory processing needs and challenges.

"This recognition from the Kennedy Center affirms Overture Center's ongoing commitment to ensuring that the arts are accessible to everyone," said Conway. "Accessibility and belonging are central to our mission, and we are honored to be recognized for the work our entire organization has undertaken to remove barriers and create welcoming experiences for all."

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