University of Atypical for Arts and Disability appointed to pilot the All In access scheme in Northern Ireland

All In is being developed to make it easier for D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people to find accessible cultural experiences, communicate their access requirements, and book tickets with greater confidence.

The scheme will help cultural organisations improve their accessibility through a common set of standards, specialist support, and digital booking tools.

University of Atypical will work with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, All In’s central team, disabled people and cultural organisations to develop and deliver the pilot which will run to March 2027. This pilot will build on strong work already being done in this area, locally.

University of Atypical brings considerable experience of supporting D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists and audiences. Its appointment will ensure that lived experience and knowledge of Northern Ireland’s cultural sector are central to the scheme’s development.

The initial priorities will include:

• appointing a dedicated All In Gateway Coordinator;

• establishing an advisory structure involving disabled people, and representatives of the arts and cultural sector;

• engaging with a representative cohort of pilot venues, festivals, and cultural organisations across Northern Ireland;

• assessing the sector’s readiness and identifying skills development, technology, and support requirements;

• supporting pilot organisations to work towards the All In Accessibility Standards;

• testing how the scheme can integrate with existing box-office and ticketing systems; and

• developing a phased approach to piloting and introducing the scheme.

Although All In will provide a consistent framework across the UK and Ireland, its delivery in Northern Ireland will be shaped to reflect the needs of the local landscape. This will include recognising Northern Ireland’s mix of existing provision, the scale and capacity of its cultural organisations, and the different ticketing systems used across the sector.

Roisín McDonough, Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said: “Appointing University of Atypical to undertake this pilot is an important step towards introducing All In to NI to improve access to the arts for D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people, and ensuring that more people from all backgrounds can enjoy arts experiences.”

“The scheme has the potential to make a significant difference by reducing the barriers disabled people can face when finding information, booking tickets and attending cultural events. University of Atypical brings extensive knowledge, trusted relationships, and a strong understanding of both lived experience and the local arts sector.”

Dr Jonathan Mitchell, Access and Inclusion Manager at University of Atypical, said: “University of Atypical is delighted to have been appointed to deliver the pilot of All In here in Northern Ireland. We hope this will be an important step towards improving the experiences of d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people accessing arts and culture across Northern Ireland.

“We will be building on University of Atypical’s long history of working with the sector to advocate for greater accessibility and inclusion, including through our own Arts and Disability Access Awards scheme. We will also consult with local cultural organisations and directly with disabled people. This is to ensure that All In Northern Ireland meets local needs and expectations and can be developed with our partners to raise access standards across the sector, to move towards a society where everyone can engage with the arts on an equitable basis.”

Andrew Miller (MBE), UK Arts Access Champion for All In said: "I am delighted that University of Atypical have been appointed as the Northern Ireland Gateway for All In. I look forward to welcoming the team to the All In family where we will work side by side to remove barriers for disabled audiences in Northern Ireland".

England is at a more advanced stage of delivery. Following pilot activity, subscriptions are now open to arts and cultural organisations across England, with the scheme moving towards welcoming individual disabled members. Experience from the rollout will help inform the development and implementation of the scheme in Northern Ireland and Ireland.

Further information about stakeholder engagement, the Northern Ireland pilot, and opportunities for cultural organisations to become involved will be announced in the coming months.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland recently launched a new Arts Impact section on our website. Arts Impact offers reports, official statistics and case studies that can help all of us tell the story of the outcomes of public investment in the arts. View Arts Impact here - https://artscouncil-ni.org/res...

• All In is a partnership involving Arts Council England, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon, the Arts Council of Wales and Creative Scotland.
• All In aims to establish a consistent approach to access across the arts and cultural sector while allowing delivery to be adapted to the circumstances of each participating nation.
• University of Atypical is a disabled-led arts organisation working to support and develop the work of D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists and improve access to the arts.  Find out more on their website - University of Atypical – Belfast based arts organisation promoting the aims of d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists 
• Further information about All In is available via the All In website - Home - All In