We have collated some guides to help you to increase and improve access for disabled, d/Deaf and neurodivergent people in your organisations, whether that be for audiences at the cinema or for employees.

Cinemas across the country currently offer specific accessible screenings, such as subtitled, audio described, BSL interpreted, relaxed environment, autism-friendly, and/or dementia-friendly screenings.

UK events

Your Local Cinema lists many subtitled and audio-described screenings

Accessible Screenings UK also list autism-friendly, subtitled and audio-described screenings

Resources

The BFI FAN: Access Directory
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BFI FAN: EDI in Focus - Advocacy Skills for Accessible Screenings
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Oska Bright: Welcoming Learning Disabled Audiences Back
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And What Next? Demanding Change | THE CINEMA OF IDEAS
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Using Film to Tell Disabled Stories | THE CINEMA OF IDEAS
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Unlimited: Accessible Recruitment and Employment
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Crip Club
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Crip Cinema Archive
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The Space: Digital Accessibility: Best Practice
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Unlimited: Accessible Marketing Guide
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Unlimited: Cards for Inclusion
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The Bigger Picture Case Study: Universal Accessibility for Schools Screenings
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ICO: Where to Begin with Relaxed Screenings
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The Hollywood Reporter: A Recent History of the Academy’s Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Efforts
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What might a more inclusive film programming world look like?
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Caption This: the subtitling champions working to make festivals, screenings and global cinema more accessible
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Being Disabled In Britain - A Journey Less Equal
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Centering Disabled Arts and Audiences
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Planning and Access for Disabled people: A Good Practice Guide
read more
The Fringe Guide to Adapting Events for Deaf and Disabled Audiences
read more
UKCA's CEA Card
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Using A Range Of Communication Channels To Reach Disabled People
read more
Accessibility in cinemas: Are cinemas playing fair?
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Access Guide - Ensuring your venues and events are open to all
read more

Deafblindness Curation

Charlotte shared this talk with attendees of a Deaf awareness workshop led by Wales Council for Deaf People in collaboration with Film Hub Wales. Those joining were film exhibitors learning to be more deaf-friendly in their cinemas.

7 Documentaries to Watch After Crip Camp

If you recently watched Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution and want to learn more here are 7 documentaries by Deaf and disabled people for you to check out. These films are available for either rental, purchase, or by subscription on various platforms and websites. You can find information about captions or audio description by going … More

Using a range of communication channels to reach disabled people

This guidance was written for government communicators but may also be useful to other communication professionals. We absorb a wide range of information every day through different communication channels, for example, radio, television, newspapers, advertising, internet and word of mouth. Some of these methods may be out of reach or inaccessible to some disabled people. … More

Bring Us Our Rights: Disabled People’s Manifesto

After months of work and collaboration with over 200 disabled people and activists from across Wales, Disability Wales are delighted to launch Bring Us Our Rights: Disabled People’s Manifesto this International Day of Disabled People! The manifesto highlights many key areas for advancing equality for disabled people as well as offering policy solutions. The manifesto … More

International Day of People with Disabilities is the annual celebration of people with disabilities. This year On 3 December 2024, the theme is “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future.”

We call on domestic and international public health officials, political representatives, advocates, supporters, and every citizen in every community, to learn from the experiences of disabled people, and push for more meaningful investments into the socioeconomic building blocks which will reduce the barriers faced by people with disabilities in every community.

Disabled representation in cinema continues to be a struggle, as we see very few authentic depictions that don’t play to the hero or tragedy tropes so often associated with disability on screen. Our ask of the film sector is to see more varied characters and stories about disability, to hire more disabled talent into production, distribution and exhibition roles in film, and to support any workers with access needs with compassion and care, so they can progress and have jobs for life in the industry.

As regards exhibition, at Inclusive Cinema, we seek to see as many subtitled, audio-described and relaxed screenings made available across the UK for those with access requirements as there are for those without access requirements.

Useful sources for accessible screenings

Your Local Cinema lists many subtitled and audio-described screenings

Accessible Screenings UK also list autism-friendly, dementia-friendly, subtitled and audio-described screenings

Resources

The BFI FAN: Access Directory
read more
ICO: How do I make my cinema inclusive and accessible?
read more
Weird Weekend: Providing Audio Description in Non-Theatrical Cinema Spaces
read more
Sidecard [film access materials database]
read more
SQIFF Accessibility Guide for Exhibitors
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Deaf and Disabled access in film exhibition
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Access schemes
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Subtitling, BSL and Audio Description services
read more
7 Documentaries to Watch After Crip Camp
read more
Bring Us Our Rights: Disabled People’s Manifesto
read more
Report: Online forum - Expanding online access to the arts for disabled people
read more
The White Pube investigates: the impact of using social media
read more
Cinema Provision In Wales For Families With Disabled Children
read more
Being Disabled In Britain - A Journey Less Equal
read more
Centering Disabled Arts and Audiences
read more
Planning and Access for Disabled people: A Good Practice Guide
read more
The Fringe Guide to Adapting Events for Deaf and Disabled Audiences
read more
UKCA's CEA Card
read more
Using A Range Of Communication Channels To Reach Disabled People
read more
Accessibility in cinemas: Are cinemas playing fair?
read more
Access Guide - Ensuring your venues and events are open to all
read more
Learning Disabled Representation
read more
Supporting employees who are deaf or have hearing loss to thrive at work
read more
Battersea Arts Centre relaunches as world’s first fully relaxed venue
read more
The Seven Principles for an Inclusive Recovery
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