At Fringe, we want everyone to be able to experience the full range of performance and creativity on offer — including audience members with access needs. Making your show accessible doesn’t need to be complicated or expensive. With some planning, creativity, and the right resources, you can open your performance to a much wider audience.
Below are some of the most common ways to make your show more accessible, including practical steps and resources to help you get started. Make sure you speak to your venue first to make sure that it is possible to make any of the following adjustments in your space. For example, you may need to consider factors such as stage size, tech, projectors, etc. Your venue may also already have experience in these areas and be able to offer advice specific to the space you will be using.
When registering your event, ensure to include your Accessibility details in Step 2: Accessibility and in your performance tags in Dates, Times and Prices.
Captions make your show accessible to D/deaf, hard-of-hearing, and neurodivergent audiences. Captions display spoken dialogue, sound effects, and music cues as on-screen or on-stage text.
Tip: Rehearse your show with the captioning in place to ensure timing works well for the audience.
Audio description (AD) makes your show accessible for blind and visually impaired audiences. It provides a spoken description of key visual elements – movement, settings, costumes, or facial expressions – either live or via a recorded track.
Tip: Don’t forget to describe your set, costumes, and any silent moments of action. Work with trained describers where possible.
Touch tours are guided experiences that allow blind or visually impaired audience members to explore the stage, props, and costumes with their hands before the performance. They are often offered alongside audio description.
Tip: Promote your touch tour clearly on your event listing.
Relaxed or Sensory Friendly performances are adapted for audience members who may find traditional theatre settings challenging, including neurodivergent people, people with learning disabilities, or those with sensory sensitivities. You can highlight how you will be making your performances relaxed or Sensory Friendly in the Accessibility section of your registration.
Relaxed performances have a more broad inclusion of different adaptations whereas Sensory Friendly performances focus on methods to reduce sensory overwhelm, such as lowering sound levels and harsh lighting.
Tip: Schedule and advertise relaxed or sensory friendly performances in advance, and work with your venue to make sure front-of-house staff are trained.
You can download the event and venue access icons that we use when highlighting accessible events. Feel free to include this in your promotional materials.
Personal Assistant tickets are complimentary tickets that are issued to the assistants of customers with physical or invisible disabilities who otherwise would not be able to attend an event.
Compass Cards are also accepted by Brighton Fringe, which allows under-25's in the Brighton and Hove area with special educational needs or disabilities to access concession rate tickets and a personal assistant ticket.
We recommend that all events opt in to offering these tickets, and you will be asked to provide a reason if you decide to opt out of the scheme.
We’re here to help! If you have questions about making your show accessible, get in touch with the Artist Services Team or email us at [email protected].
Inclusivity is not just about compliance – it’s about creativity, care, and making sure everyone feels welcome. Start small, and build accessibility into your show from the start.
Talking to the Box Office...
