Why Lauren Daigle helped bring a sensory-inclusive room to Bridgestone Arena

Ask Christian singer-songwriter Lauren Daigle how she became involved in sensory inclusivity and she'll likely give you two answers.

The short answer: She saw how Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires helped open a sensory room at Nissan Stadium earlier this year and wanted to get involved.

The longer answer? A wheelchair-using fan in New Zealand inspired her to make her concerts a more welcoming space.

"We were on tour in January 2020 and we met this girl who was so beautiful, she was just vibrant," Daigle said, adding: "She made it her sole purpose in life ... like, 'My goal is to create environments where people who are either paralyzed or people who have sensory [needs], I want to figure out ways to allow these people into more environments.'

"Her vigor and her excitement and her passion, it lit up in my bones. I was like, how can we partner with organizations here that are already starting that trend? That can make it more accessible?"

Now, nearly two years later, Daigle helped Nashville's Bridgestone Arena become a more sensory-inclusive space for concertgoers and sports fans. The two-time Grammy Award-winning artist known for her soaring voice and uplifting messages teamed with nonprofit KultureCity to bring a sensory room to the downtown Nashville arena.

The Lauren Daigle Sensory Room opened last Friday during the singer's sold-out show at Bridgestone Arena. The space offers a quiet place for those who need it — such as ticket holders with autism, PTSD and dementia, among other health conditions — in an otherwise bustling environment.

Inside the room, visitors can use bubble walls, bean bag chairs, a touch visual panel or calming activities.

Daigle said she wants there to be "an acceptance in everybody's uniqueness. I think that's really important in life. Secluding people because of something maybe they were born with? It's not a great way to go about life. I think trying to make environments that are more friendly and inclusive for the sake of compassion — for the sake of loving your neighbor — is really important."

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KultureCity, a leading organization in sensory inclusivity, designed the room with funds donated by Daigle and her nonprofit Price Fund. KultureCity began training Bridgestone Arena employees on sensory inclusion in 2018, said executive director Uma Srivastava. More than 800 venues in four countries participate in KultureCity's sensory training certification.

The nonprofit group opened the aforementioned Isbell-Shires sensory room at Nissan Stadium last April. About 10 visitors use the room per game, Srivastava said.

"Imagine you being a Preds fan or a Titans fan and not being able to go and enjoy because of your sensory needs," Srivastava said. "Also, imagine you going to a game and not having your loved one or your best friend besides you because he or she has that sensory need. We want to make sure that just as you and I ... get to enjoy games and concerts, that everybody has that option."

And Daigle hopes to see sensory rooms expand to each room she plays.

"Think about this: You've got four kids and one of them has something that would prevent the flow of the night being easy," Daigle said. "To be able to set up something where that child is actually about to be with the family and it's harmonious? That would be the goal for me to see in every music environment. And I think it's possible."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Lauren Daigle funds sensory room at Bridgestone Arena