Accessibility

We strive towards creating an environment where any person or group feels welcomed, respected, represented, supported, and valued to meaningfully participate.

We are dedicated to this ongoing work as we continue to adapt and make changes to increase our level of accessibility and inclusivity. Please see below to learn about our accessible offerings. This work is always ongoing and we are always grateful when people share their experience or reach out to have a conversation about something we may not have considered.

You can email access@childrensfestival.ca or call the office at 604–708-5655.

On this page you will find information about:

• Wheelchair access, washrooms & change tables
• Visual guides for venues
• Show specific accessibility information
• Visual stories for shows
• Relaxed performances
• Low sensory shows
• Hearing-Assistance Devices
• Support persons
• Community outreach

Youth Councils

We are conducting a research project to engage youth directly in our accessibility planning. How? Through Youth Councils that make decisions and give feedback.

• Each Youth Council can have up to 10 youth 
• Age:  8–25 but anyone who is interested is encouraged to apply
• Deadline: as long as there is space you can apply
  (check in the application form) 
• Council members will be paid for each meeting and show they come to
• Accessibility supports are available
• Most meetings are in person in Vancouver but some may be online

There are 4 Youth Councils for the 2026 Festival, you can click on them to find out more and apply.

Youth Council for Relaxed Performances

Deaf / Hard of Hearing Youth Council

Blind / Low Vision Youth Council

Council for Youth with Developmental Disabilities

We are committed to continuing the first three councils with yearly decision making meetings. The fourth (if we have the funding) invites a specific community to engage in a dialogue for 1–2 years and to learn from them, build relationships and develop trust. This will allow us to keep learning!

Wheelchair access, Washrooms & change tables

All theaters and venues

• are wheelchair accessible
• have accessible bathroom stalls
• have a baby change table

They also all have a visual guide with pictures of them (see below)

Our Activity Village

• has nearby accessible port-o-potties 
• has an adult sized change table area
• is located in a grassy area with no paved paths
• none of the tents or activities require steps but one tent is on a little hill 
• the maze might be difficult to navigate with a mobility device

If you or anyone in your group have mobility issues or concerns, require special access seating, or have a certified service dog, please contact the Box Office at 605–708-5655 to reserve seats.

Visual Guides for Venues

To help prepare for a trip to the theatre we have created visual guides for all our venues. Because knowing what it will be like can make it a less overwhelming experience so you can leave the surprises for the show. 

In the visual guide you will find information and a lot of pictures of:

• The route to the theatre and where you can park your car or bike
• The building and the theatre 
• The box office 
• The lobby
• The washrooms & baby change tables
• How to recognize staff and volunteers
• Accessibility info

These are the Venue Visual Guides from 2025, updated versions will be available at the end April, but we expect very little to change.

Revue Stage Visual Guide
Granville Island Stage Visual Guide
Carousel Studio Visual Guide
Waterfront Visual Guide
The Nest Visual Guide
Performance Works Visual Guide

Show specific Accessibility Information

Our dedicated Access Activator collaborates closely with artists to gather general accessibility details for each show. Important details about the show’s lighting, sound, sensory information, participation and content are available for each show. By providing this information, we aim to help you make informed choices, so that you can tailor your festival experience to match your unique needs and preferences. 

Some shows also have a visual story which provides more detailed and specific information. See below.

Visual STORIES FOr Shows

A visual story helps you prepare for a new experience or decide if this experience is right for you with lots of information and pictures. All shows with a relaxed performance will have one, but many other shows do as well. You can use it to find specific information about one thing you want to know or read it all to know exactly what will happen. These are some things that are always in the visual story:

• Who is in the show?
• What does the stage look like?
• What are the lights like?
• What is the sound like?
• Is there audience interaction?
• Is there any sensitive content?
• Anything else important like smells or haze or food…
• And last but not least:
  Everything that happens in the show with a lot of pictures

Relaxed Performances

Relaxed Performances are specially designed and adapted performances that welcome audience members who benefit from a more sensory-friendly performance experience and a more relaxed environment. 

We have them for select shows and performances.
Some shows are always relaxed and every performance is relaxed.

This is what you can expect for a relaxed performance:

• Visual guide for the venue 
  We have them for all our venues (see above)

• Visual story for the show (see above)

• An introduction (not at shows that are always relaxed)
  Before everyone else comes into the theatre, you get to meet the performers who introduce themselves and can show you any of the parts of the show that could be intense for you or your child. 

• Lights and sounds are adjusted to be less intense

• No blackouts (total darkness) or strobe lights

• It is ok to move or make noise

• It is ok to move leave and come back

• A chill-out zone (usually in the lobby)
  if you need a break during the show

• Spaced seating can be requested 

Click here for a more detailed explanation

Click here to see which shows are always relaxed this year

Or here for shows that have one relaxed performance
We update these as we get more information in the fall and winter. When the tickets go on sale for the general public in the spring, all the accessibility info is updated and complete.

If you want to bring a school group that would prefer the relaxed version of a show, please reach out to access@childrensfestival.ca.

LOW SENSORY SHOWS

Shows that don’t have intense lighting, sound or smells.
They are not relaxed performances but if you prefer relaxed performances because of sensory overload or being able to prepare with a visual story, these shows might be a great option for you or your child.

They always have a visual story.
Because you may be sensitive to something specific most people might not think of as intense. In the visual story you will find out all the details.

Click here to see what shows are low sensory this year
This information is updated through the fall and winter, the list is complete when the tickets go on sale to the general public in the spring.

Hearing-Assistance Devices

If you are attending one of our performances at The Granville Island Stage, we have a limited number of assistance listening systems available. These infrared listening systems are provided free of charge for people who are hard of hearing.

Click here to see at which shows they are available.
The list will be complete when tickets go on sale to the public in the spring, before that it will only include the weekday shows.
Please reserve in advance by calling the Box Office 604–708-5655.

Deaf & Hard of Hearing Youth

Over the past few years we have been building a relationship with the Deaf and hard of hearing communities. By basing our decisions on the input from a Deaf Youth Consultant and the Deaf & Hard of Hearing Youth Council and partnering with FNDC, the Family Network for Deaf Children for outreach to families.

We ask the youth council what shows they want access to and how then we work with the artists to figure out the best way to give Deaf and hard of hearing kids an experience that is just as exhilarating as the one for hearing kids. This can take many forms; from vlogs and invitations from the artist that provide info beforehand to ASL-integration or incorporating projections of ASL or thought balloons. 

We recognise that some efforts will only support ASL using children while others only make a show accessible to kids with some hearing. We aim to be very clear in our access descriptions on the show page to avoid confusion.

Click here to see the shows that are Deaf / hard of hearing friendly
Click here to see the shows that are ASL-integrated

What is ASL integration?
Working with Deaf performers, hearing and Deaf interpreters, sometimes teaching performers a word or phrase in ASL to ensure ASL-using kids get to watch a show that was creatively put together for them. 

Why should I read the invitation from the artist?
This is a document or a video in which the artist invites kids who are Deaf or hard of hearing and gives them any information they may need to attend. Often this information is essential for the accessibility of the show, here are some examples:

• When the performers speak, it is in a made up language
• When they sing / drum one person is always slower than the others and that is why they get annoyed
• there will be loud booming noises that scare the performers and little balloons are available to feel the vibration

Other times it is the artist inviting Deaf and hard of hearing kids and sharing non-essential information like what music is playing in the background or how they created their show to be visual. 

Hearing-Assistance Devices
At The Granville Island Stage, we have a limited number of assistance listening systems available. These infrared listening systems are provided free of charge. Click here to see at which shows they are available.
The list will be complete when tickets go on sale to the public in the spring, before that it will only include the weekday shows.
Please reserve in advance by calling the Box Office 604–708‑5655.

Youth who are Blind or Partially Sighted

We are exploring how we can best support kids who are blind or partially sighted with our Blind & Low Vision Youth Council and our Blind Youth Consultant to decide what shows are low-vision friendly or what we can do to make them more accessible. Here are some of the ways we do that.
Click here for the blind & low vision friendly shows

An invitation from the artist
This is a document / video / audio recording in which the artist invites kids who are blind or partially sighted and gives them any information they may need to attend. The artist will describe what the stage looks like and everyone on it and all information needed for the accessibility of the show, here are some examples:

• At one moment in the show Stella stops talking, she starts cleaning up her room and after two minutes the room is organised and she starts talking again
• After every song, Sayun takes the piece of paper from the music stand, crumples it and tries to throw it through a little basket ball hoop on a garbage can, and you will be able to tell if they hit or miss from the other audience members

Touch Tours / Pre-show Introduction

Before the show we invite the kids to touch objects or costumes from the show, learn the dances and or meet the performers who will describe what they look like etc.

Live Description by VocalEye

Depending on the decisions of the Youth Council we may offer live description in partnership with VocalEye live descriptive arts.
Click here to know if there will be any described shows

Support Persons

VICF offers complimentary admission for support persons assisting folks. 

We also are a participating organization in the Access 2 Card Easter Seal program.

To book tickets for a support person or to use your Access 2 Card, simply call the box office at 604–708-5655.

Community Outreach

To ensure that the Festival remains affordable to everyone, families and schools can access tickets through two of our programs:

Good Neighbors Program: We share the magic of the festival with children and parents who otherwise would not be able to attend. Each year the Festival distributes performance tickets at no cost to families with limited income from across Metro Vancouver.

Adopt a Class: This program provides bus transportation and featured performance tickets for school groups from enhanced support schools across Metro Vancouver that would otherwise be unable to attend the Festival.

Hospital Outreach: The Hospital Outreach Program brings the Festival experience to children receiving treatment at child-centred healthcare facilities. Children unable to leave their facilities can share in the Festival spirit with their families and benefit from the healing power of music, dance and laughter.