Can we stop hosting public meetings in auditoriums now?

Since the COVID lockdowns began, we've had to completely rethink the ways we engage the public. Local and state restrictions on in-person gatherings means that many of us haven't set foot in an auditorium or theater for months. And that's a good thing. As we see the end of social distancing on the horizon, I hope we can say goodbye to auditoriums for good, as part of the "old normal."

As a child, I remember the thrill of sitting in a dark auditorium, surrounded by hundreds of strangers--and contemplating a terrifying possibility: what if I suddenly stood up and screamed at the top of my lungs? Would I be dragged out of the room? Arrested?

That thought was so thrilling because most of us have learned that making any noise when you’re seated in an auditorium violates powerful social norms and rules of behavior. These norms are reinforced by the design and architecture of an auditorium itself. This is why I’m so perplexed every time I read about, or attend a public meeting hosted in an auditorium.

Auditoriums are designed to prevent interaction

Auditoriums are made for concerts and speeches. Not discussion. They are designed to enforce the norms of performance, which insist on a quiet, passive audience. Consider these factors:

• The seats are affixed to the ground, in long rows of 20 or more, meaning people can't move round the room.
• Audience members can't see each other because they are cloaked in darkness. Lighting is designed to illuminate the stage (and often remains that way because we can never find the “house lights.”)
• The stage is set higher than the audience, so the speakers are separate and literally above the participants.
• The acoustics are designed to amplify the sounds coming from the stage, while muffling the sounds coming from the audience.

This design is why it is virtually impossible to have interactions at a public meeting, let alone a discussion. The people on stage can't see when audience members raise their hands with a question. Without a microphone, audience members’ voices get absorbed into acoustical panels. If a microphone has been installed at the front of the room, those who wish to speak must get up out of their seats, squeeze by others in their row, walk down the aisle and speak into a microphone. And only one person can speak at at time. So if more than a few people want to speak or ask a question during the meeting, they must form a line up the aisle—which, like the cramped line to the bathroom on an airplane, is not appreciated by anyone sitting on the aisle.

And the worst insult to participants is that they can’t even talk to each other. The occasional whisper may be tolerated. But talking to the person seated next to you feels wrong—because it is wrong in that setting. The layout, the seats, the lighting, the stage—it is all designed to make people face forward and pay attention to the stage, not to interact with anyone.

The threat to public engagement

Holding a meeting in an auditorium is a sign that we have lost sight of why we’re convening the public in the first place. If we’re truly trying to “seek input,” as we often promise on a meeting flyer or public notice, then why host a meeting in a room that is least hospitable to this goal? On the other hand, if our only goal is to give a presentation (i.e. one-way communication), do we really need to make people to sit in a room for two hours? In most cases, people can find the information they need if it's posted online. Or sent in an email.

The danger of hosting public meetings in auditoriums is that many local officials assume that the lack of discussion means participants are either in agreement with an initiative—or have nothing to add. When in fact, they didn’t say anything because we made it unbearable to be in the room. 

Try this instead

While it will probably be several months before we can begin to gather in in-person again, it's never too soon to start thinking about venues that will help you optimize interaction at future engagement events. Look for these features:

• Good lighting
• Circular or rectangle tables that hold no more than eight people (preferably on wheels)
• Movable chairs
• A venue that allows refreshments (including a place to plug in a coffee maker)
• Blank space on the walls to hang large sticky paper or maps
• Bathrooms nearby
• ADA accessibility and parking
• Space to walk around the room and congregate informally

Making this simple switch will open up new world of possibilities for your next in-person public engagement event.

Find more tips on my blog: https://hoplands.com/