Common Senses Festival
May 2025 | Omaha, NE
We’re beyond thrilled to announce that Common Senses Festival is back – and this year, it’s bigger, bolder, and more visionary than ever! Join us from May 10 through 25 all around Omaha, Nebraska for a festival that amplifies voices, breaks barriers, and redefines what accessibility means in the arts.
Through groundbreaking performances, cutting-edge science & technology, tailored preferred interests, and thought-provoking films & discussions, we’re building a world where every voice is heard and valued. This festival is for everyone: for those who use technology to communicate, for those who advocate, for allies, for families, and for anyone who believes in a more inclusive future. Because the arts don’t just reflect cultural change – they ignite it.
Explore The Human Senses
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![Two Machines sitting on a table]()
Augmentative and Alternative Communication Retrospective
May 10 - June 1
Science & TechnologyWith our partners from the Munroe-Meyer Institute and Kiewit Luminarium, we explore the history and importance of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
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![Perception is not reality]()
Sensorium AI
May 10 - June 1
Science & TechnologyBlurring the lines between art and technology, Sensorium AI, developed by VisionIntoArt and Luke DuBois at the NYU Ability Project, expands the possibilities for voice and expression for people with disordered, impaired, or limited speech.
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![A boy sits on a fabric swing suspended from the ceiling.]()
Going Up: The Elevator Experience
May 10
Preferred InterestIn collaboration with Autism Action Partnership, elevator enthusiasts will unite and ascend the buildings of Downtown Omaha.
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![A woman sitting in a chair with people dancing around her.]()
Risky Disco
May 12 - 23
Performing ArtsRisky Disco is an electrifying sensory workshop for the full spectrum of human diversity. Too often, adults with disabilities face barriers to artistic expression and the rich, multi-faceted social experiences that shape our culture, foster human connection, and inspire joy.
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![A portrait of a smiling man.]()
Voices Untethered
May 13
Film & DiscourseCommon Senses welcomes writers of all disciplines to the Benson Theatre for a curated poetry showcase featuring activist, educator, and poet Lateef McLeod and participants from the Common Senses writing workshop series led by Nebraska Writers Collective Teaching Artists Ben Wenzl and Bridigt Pollpeter.
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![A woman singing opera with her arm outstretched.]()
Making of Sensorium Ex
May 15
Film & DiscourseOn May 15th, the festival will screen Paul Lieber’s The Making of Sensorium Ex at Film Streams. A panel discussion with Paola Prestini, Brenda Shaughnessy, and the opera’s creative team will follow.
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![A group of people dancing and throwing confetti.]()
Scribble
May 16, 17, 20 & 21
Performing ArtsScribble is an inclusive intergalactic dance party and participatory visual art installation, designed with and for autistic audiences.
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![A group of people speaking at a round table.]()
Inclusivity Reimagined
May 20
Film & DiscourseA day of discourse dedicated to the importance of strength-based interventions and leaning into individuals’ preferred interets. We invite you to come listen and learn from experts in the field of disability from across the country.
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![A person speaking on a stage to an audience.]()
Building Accessibility in the Arts
May 21
Film & DiscourseWhat does it take to truly build an accessible show from the start? Hear from industry leaders on how they strive to perfect the art of inclusion and accessibility within their productions.
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![A collage shows a man on a chair with a woman behind him with the words. To have a voice is everything]()
Sensorium Ex
May 22 - 25
Performing ArtsSensorium Ex is an ambitious new opera by acclaimed composer Paola Prestini and Brenda Shaughnessy, that synthesizes artificial intelligence, disability, and the arts in a groundbreaking and innovative artistic work.
