A leading arts festival prioritising access for all

Since its inception 27 years ago, Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) has been committed to breaking new ground in outdoor performance, pioneering new access and audience engagement approaches, and programming Deaf and Disabled artists. Access Producer Kat Gill gives us the low-down on London’s leading free outdoor arts and performance festival, and how the event prioritises access for everyone.

Greenwich+Docklands International Festival takes place from 25 August – 10 September across sites in South-East London, The Royal Borough of Greenwich and the City of London.

Over the years, this award-winning festival has built solid relationships and trust with Disabled audiences. Partnered with live events charter Attitude is Everything since 2003, this year the organisation became the first UK festival to be awarded Platinum status for its access provision. At GDIF access is everyone’s priority and it works with artists and production teams to create bespoke access for each production and site, recognising that access is always a continuing journey, not a destination.

About accessibility and inclusivity at GDIF

GDIF’s entire staff and volunteers receive Disability Equality and Communication Access training and all of the festival sites are relaxed, wheelchair accessible, welcome Assistance Dogs, have accessible toilets and viewing areas.

There is bespoke accessibility for each show. For example, shows with speech will have BSL-interpreted or captioned performances. Many events will have pre-show touch and familiarisation tours as well as downloadable audio introductions, and selected ones are live audio described via headset. Easy-read visual stories can be downloaded and printed copies are on site.

What’s on this year… there will be over 40 shows in various locations. Larger festival sites at Greenwich Fair and Dancing City have an access welcome point, covered quiet area, Changing Places facility with a hoist and guided access routes.

Here are some highlights:

Greenwich Fair is a family-friendly day of street arts, performance, games and circus for all ages in Greenwich town centre and park on the 26th August:

• Echoes Within The Earth: dance journey inspired by nature created by learning disabled choreographer Chris Pavia.

• The Air Between Us: spectacular aerial performance performed by Disabled artist and wheelchair user Rodney Bell and dancer/choreographer Chloe Loftus.

• Birdie: accessible and hopeful story about climate change performed by professional actors with learning disabilities.

Other Greenwich Fair shows include hip hop choreography with contemporary circus, interactive robotic animals, roller skating battles and disability protest road signs created by Disabled artist Caroline Cardus.

Ancient Futures is an intergalactic Afrofuturist party that blends circus, music and dance. Inspired by West African folklore in Thamesmead.

Cygnus a poetic light installation animatronic swans perform a mesmerising water ballet accompanied by an ethereal soundscape on the Royal Victoria Dock.

Dancing City is GDIF’s annual weekend of outdoor dance productions by leading international and UK companies across the Canary Wharf estate on 9th and 10th of September:

• Bouncing Narratives: performed on a trampoline installed on a shipping container.

• ARCADE: joyful interactive performance with short dance games to connect people of all ages.

• Sleepwalker: challenges perceptions of movement, presented by The Royal Ballet and performed by Disabled dancer Joe Powell-Main alongside Isabel Lubach.

GDIF aims to make getting to sites as accessible as possible. The website includes information for each site including accessible public transport options, photo travel routes and nearby Blue badge parking. Volunteers are stationed near transport options to show people to the sites.

For further information go to: https://festival.org/gdif-2023/ https://festival.org/gdif/access/

Email access@festival.org