Open a Dialogue in Silence

Dialogue in Silence is an interactive playful experience in total silence where participants discover a repertoire of non-verbal expression with the help of deaf and hearing-impaired guides & trainers. Participants enter an area of complete silence wearing noise-cancelling headsets, and experience an environment that helps them discover openness, empathy and an enhanced power of concentration.

Our facilitators, themselves deaf and hearing impaired, are experts in non-hearing perception and create a learning atmosphere of authenticity, empathy, openness and fun. It is also an opportunity to reflect on one's purpose and productivity in a safe, professional and personal space.

How does the exhibition work?

The exhibition consists of a series of circular rooms dedicated to different aspects of non-verbal communication. All walls are specially constructed with a fabric absorbing sound to the best of effects, while providing a monochromatic background. The visitor’s visual concentration is not distracted and full attention can be is given to the hearing impaired guide. Each room has a name indicating the activity it hosts. In each room, the scenario is broken down into several short stages thus creating a sense of progression:

• Invitation to Silence - Entrance into the world of silence
• Dance of Hands - Focus on hands and their capacity to express
• Gallery of Faces - Work on facial expressions and how to decipher them
• Play of Signs - Introduction to sign language
• Forum of Figures - Learning about the body's capacity to express via postures and movement
• Dialogue Room - Dialogue between visitors and the facilitator with the support of an interpreter

Throughout the entire exhibition tour, a reversal of roles is created: hearing visitors lose their usual routines of articulating themselves and discover a new repertoire of non-verbal expression. They experience a different openness and empathy towards "the other".

What do I need?

The standard modular exhibition includes 6 different environments and requires a minimum of 650-800 sqm:

• 400 to 450 sqm installation - including six rooms (Invitation to Silence, Dance of the Hands, Gallery of Faces, Forum of Figures, Play of Signs, Silent Café)
• 100 to 150 sqm for lobby and staff rooms
• 50 to 100 sqm for pre- and post-tour activities, pedagogical preparation / forum for discussion about experiences in the silence (Dialogue Room)

As a team, you should calculate the following amount of staff for each open day:

• 1 manager responsible for the deaf guides
• 6 deaf guides
• 1 hearing person / welcome host
• 1 sign language interpreter
• 1 ticket-sales agent*
• 1 booking and information agent*
• 1 cloakroom attendant (unless coats and belongings can be stored in lockers)*
• Maintenance and cleaning service*

* When »Dialogue in Silence« is presented in a museum, less staff is required since many services already exist.

What is your idea?

Contact us via info(at)dialogue-se.com or use our contact form! We will be happy to explore the opportunities for your location.

What are the project stages?

Usually, we calculate 6-9 months from the pre-project-phase to the opening of the actual exhibition. However, each project is individual and depends highly on the already existing aspects.

1. Pre-project

WHAT WE DO:

• We study your project
• We consult you on choosing a suitable venue/space
• We support you with documents and products for your fundraising campaign (if needed)
• We prepare the legal framework for a collaboration and partnership

WHAT YOU DO:

• You evaluate your budget
• You find an adequate space for your exhibition
• You sign a “Letter of Intent” that allows exclusivity for 6 months to evaluate the feasibility of the project (optional)
• You define the duration of the project
• You sign a consultation & license agreement with us

2. Preparation

WHAT WE DO:

• We give you a “tour behind the scenes”
• We evaluate your location based on picture material or on-site visit if needed
• We provide you with detailed technical plans of the exhibition layout
• We consult your design and construction company on the set up of the exhibition
• We connect you with the local blind-organisation and/or the blind-community

WHAT YOU DO:

• You visit one of our venues
• You define your project, taking into account the layout of your venue, your wishes and your constraints
• You adapt the details of the settings and rooms to the local culture
• You finalize your budget and business plan
• You select the companies which will build your exhibition and lobby area (if applicable)
• You define and select your local project team

4. Training

WHAT WE DO:

• We provide you with job-descriptions and support you with shortlisting the candidates
• Together with you, we select the most suitable candidates, based on our experience and knowledge
• We train the selected candidates and operational team via specialized training programmes on-site to become guides, welcome hosts, etc.

WHAT YOU DO:

• You advertise open positions / jobs 
• Together with our team, you select the final candidates
• You organize all logistics for the training period, test run, and (soft) opening

5. Opening

WHAT WE DO:

• We support you and your staff on-site during the (soft) opening phase
• We support you with documents regarding all operational routines of the exhibition

WHAT YOU DO:

• You open your Dialogue exhibition, operate it, and create a more inclusive society for everyone in your city!

What is your benefit?

You will be recognised as a driver for social inclusion in your community and especially for the connection of the deaf and hearing culture.

You will offer a unique experience to experience the own self, senses and abilities to overcome challenges.

Dialogue in Silence offers a wide range of additional offers for profit, such as brithday and christmas parties in silence, workshops and special tours.

You will lead a very diverse team and will be able to reach out to influence people (from media to politics).

You are a living example of a social entrepreneur who acts locally and is connected globally.

You will meet amazing people who dedicated their live to bring Dialogue in Silence to their cities.

Even as a non-profit, you will have more than profit.