Festivals: First Fortnight

First Fortnight are aware that there are often access barriers in the arts for multiple people, which is why they are committed to making our festival as accessible and inclusive as possible, with each year building upon their accessibility and inclusion measures.

The First Fortnight Mental Health, Arts and Culture Festival 2025 is inclusive of all individuals irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, ethnicity, age, marital status, family status, religion, membership of the Traveller community or socio-economic status.

For this year’s festival, they have brought a diverse range of accessibility measures into place to ensure audience members of all abilities and backgrounds feel welcome at our festival. These measures include ISL events, braille signage at the festival hub in Smock Alley Theatre, masked events for those who are immunocompromised, relaxed performances, sensory kits for audience members who might benefit from them, and social narratives for a range of our programmed events. They have also ensured that our online festival programme is screen reader compatible and in large print.

In addition, they are offering concession tickets across a range of our events for those who are unwaged, low waged, those who have a disability or are a carer, Members of the Travelling Community, Roma, Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Senior Citizens.

First Fortnight are also members of the Sunflower Initiative, supporting awareness of invisible disabilities. They will have a number of sunflower lanyards available for festival goers to request. At each event they will also have a member of our team in a “I support the sunflower” lanyard who can provide assistance when needed.

First Fortnight are very excited to continue to learn and expand their access and inclusion measures. If you would like to make any suggestions or proposals, please contact their Access Officer, Trudie, at access@firstfortnight.ie

Venue Accessibility and Special Assistance 

First Fortnight have compiled a detailed directory of venue accessibility details for your convenience. You can find it at firstfortnight.ie or at the bottom of this page.

Please note that while they have endeavoured to ensure almost all of their events are wheelchair accessible, First Fortnight regret to say that the following events are not wheelchair accessible; The Dawn Chorus at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Therapy Sessions at The Workman’s Club, Coastal Ecotherapy, and O’Bheal at The Long Valley Bar

Screen Reader Compatible and Large Print Programme 

First Fortnight have a screen reader compatible and large print Festival Programme available to download, which you can find at firstfornight.ie or at the bottom of this page.

Concession Prices, Companion Tickets, and Discounted Tickets 

Concession tickets will be available on a selection of shows for people with disabilities, people aged 65 and over, unwaged,  low waged, asylum seekers and refugees, members of the Travelling Community, and full-time students with appropriate ID. Concession tickets where available will be noted on the event information and can be purchased online or at the box office.  Companion tickets are available for carers for all shows. These can be booked online or through the Box Office.

ISL, Braille, and Assistance Dog Information

Guide and Assistance Dogs are welcome at all First Fortnight events. Braille Signage will be in place at Smock Alley Theatre, to support audience members who have a visual impairment attending any of the Festival events taking place at this venue. Irish Sign Language Interpretation will be offered to support audience memeber who are deaf and Hard of Hearing at the following events;

Declan’s Got Talent 2pm Saturday 11 January, The Main Space, Smock Alley

Amplify, in partnership with Safe to Create 4pm Thursday 9 January, the Banquet Hall, Smock Alley Theatre

Social Narratives 

Social Narratives are a tool that support audience members who might find it challenging going to a new place. Social Narratives enable audience members to get an insight into what to expect of an event before arriving, including visuals of the venue, sensory input such as lighting and sound, how they will be greeted and how they can seek support from staff and volunteers. First Fortnight have Social Narratives available for the following events:

•All events at Smock Alley Theatre

•Cistin at St Patrick’s University Hospital

•Therapy Sessions at The Workman’s Club

•Nollaig na mBan at Whelans

•All events at An Grianan

•Therapy Sessions Belfast at The Duncairn

•The Hunt Museum

•MoLI

•Backstage Theatre

•The National Gallery

•Bank of Ireland Cultural and Heritage Centre – Listen Now and Again

You can find out more about social narratives at firstfortnight.ie/news

Masked Performances

Firt Fortnight want to create safe spaces for those in the high-risk community to attend the festival. They will be offering some events as masked events. They will be providing a selection of high quality ffp2 masks at these events, as well as having HEPA air filtration in place. They understand that some people cannot wear masks for a variety of reasons, this will not affect your ability to attend. In the interest of keeping everyone safe, we ask those audience members experiencing COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms to not attend our masked events. The following events will be masked;

Declan’s Got Talent 2pm Saturday 11 January, The Main Space, Smock Alley

Amplify, in partnership with Safe to Create 4pm Thursday 9 January, the Banquet Hall, Smock Alley Theatre

Relaxed Performances 

A relaxed performance is where the ambience of the event space and the ‘rules’ are relaxed. These performances are ideal for people who are neurodivergent, those with learning disabilities, or anyone who would benefit from a more relaxed environment. We will offer the following relaxed performances as part of the First Fortnight 2025 Programme:

Declan’s Got Talent 2pm Saturday 11 January, The Main Space, Smock Alley

Amplify, in partnership with Safe to Create 4pm Thursday 9 January, the Banquet Hall, Smock Alley Theatre

The Tightrope Walker

Sensory Packs 

They understand that attending our festival might be overwhelming for some audience members. Sensory Packs are designed for adults and children who may have particular sensory needs. Each pack will contain ear defenders, a stress ball and a stim toy. They will have a limited number of sensory packs available to borrow at the festival, for those who might need them. These can be booked in advance by contacting access@firstfortnight.ie

Sunflower Hidden Disabilities  

First Fortnight have recently become proud members of the Sunflower Hidden Disabilities initiative. Some disabilities are not visible to others, which can make it harder to receive support.  The Sunflower hidden disabilities initiative provides a tool which allows people to share that they have a hidden disability by wearing a sunflower in the form of a badge or a lanyard. We will have a limited number of Sunflower Lanyards at our venues, or you can book one in advance by emailing access@firstfortnight.ie. The First Fortnight Team are trained in the Sunflower Hidden Disabilities initiative and will be able to support you if you need help.

For more information on First Fortnight and to book, visit firstfortnight.ie

Image from Silva Lumina, in partnership with Culture Ireland and Glow Wild, photo by Ray Keogh.