Liverpool will host the Inclusive Sport and Culture Festival from the second to the eighth of May 2027, bringing disability arts and elite para sport together. A new Cultural Advisory Group featuring leading artists, writers and accessibility specialists will help shape a million pound disabled-led cultural programme supported by Arts Council England.
Liverpool will host the Inclusive Sport and Culture Festival from May 2 to May 8, 2027. This city-wide event aims to unite the fields of disability arts and high-level para-sports, with funding support from Arts Council England and additional contributions from the National Lottery. The festival is designed to provide a cohesive experience that celebrates inclusivity through both creative expression and athletic competition. A newly established cultural advisory group will oversee the program's development, incorporating the expertise of artists, performers, writers, and accessibility specialists.
The group is chaired by Tony Heaton, an OBE and recognized pioneer in disability arts, and includes members such as Laurence Clark, Mandy Redvers-Rowe, Kate Fox, Andrew Linsley, and Bethen Langford. The festival's creative program is being led by creative director Becca, with support from Zoe Partington. The event is backed by UK Sport and will feature a range of new commissions, performances, and art installations. These will coincide with four major international para-sport competitions: Boccia, para-athletics, wheelchair rugby, and para-canoe.
Organizers emphasize that disabled-led creativity will remain at the heart of the festival, with an overarching goal of creating lasting, meaningful social impact that extends beyond the event itself. This initiative represents an ambitious effort to provide platforms for both cultural and physical achievement, shaped by the perspectives and expertise of people living with disabilities.
