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A notable gathering of the UK’s foremost figures in disability arts, accessibility, and inclusive culture has been established to guide the cultural programming of the upcoming Inclusive Sport and Culture Festival (ISCF), set to take place in Liverpool from May 2nd to 8th, 2027. This newly created Cultural Advisory Group will have a pivotal role in shaping the festival’s £1 million disabled-led cultural initiative, which is supported by Arts Council England. Their aim is to ensure the programme is not only artistically ambitious and accessible but also genuinely shaped by disabled artists, creatives, and cultural leaders.
The festival’s cultural agenda is being crafted under the leadership of Creative Director Bev Ayre, who brings extensive experience in large-scale cultural events, alongside programme advisor Zoe Partington, an expert in cultural inclusion and access. Chairing the advisory group is the internationally acclaimed sculptor and disability arts pioneer Tony Heaton OBE. The group also includes award-winning writer and comedian Laurence Clark; Mandy Redvers-Rowe, an acclaimed disabled writer and Chair of DaDa; prominent accessibility consultant Kate Fox; Andrew Lansley, Creative Director of UnMute and access consultant; Rachel Jele, Head of Advocacy and Engagement at Stagetext; and arts advocate and soprano Bethan Langford. Together, these members bring decades of experience across multiple disciplines including theatre, television, music, public art, and accessibility.
The festival itself, owned by UK Sport, represents a groundbreaking convergence of world-class disabled-led cultural work and elite para sports competition. This UK-first celebration will feature the £1 million Arts Council England funded disabled-led arts programme delivered by Culture Liverpool, and will showcase performances and commissions led by deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent artists. Simultaneously, four international para sport competitions in Boccia, Para Athletics, Wheelchair Rugby, and Paracanoe will be held in partnership with Boccia UK, UK Athletics, Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby, and Paddle UK. The ISCF’s intention is to create a seamless blend of culture and sport, presenting a unified experience that honors creativity, inclusion, and excellence.
Bev Ayre emphasized the festival’s unique ambition, stating, “The Inclusive Sport and Culture Festival is about creating something genuinely different. We’re bringing together outstanding artists, practitioners, accessibility specialists and advocates whose expertise and lived experience will help shape a cultural programme that is bold, ambitious and rooted in inclusion from the very beginning.” She further highlighted the group’s diverse expertise and commitment, describing how the programme aims not only to match the sporting events in ambition but also to set new standards for how major events consider accessibility and disabled-led leadership. Rebecca Ball of Arts Council England also expressed strong support, noting that the group’s collective skills and lived experiences are key to delivering bold and groundbreaking work.
The establishment of the Cultural Advisory Group is the first of many forthcoming announcements regarding the Inclusive Sport and Culture Festival. Over the next months, the festival will reveal details about its artistic programme, headline commissions, participating artists, and broader cultural experiences, promising one of the UK’s most significant celebrations of disabled-led creativity and inclusive culture
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