Accessibility | Sheffield DocFest

DocFest attendees sitting in rows in a medium size room listening to a talk

Accessibility At Sheffield DocFest 2025

Registering for Assistance at the Festival

If you need help during your time at the festival, would like to request assistance, or just have a question about this information, our Head of People & Access, Maria Stoneman, will be able to advise and offer guidance

Please call +44 114 276 5141 or send an email to access@sheffdocfest.com.

To view this information in a downloadable format, please follow this link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19UemoUM78nJ8YW9_0jj8xWJ-GrmF6rPo?usp=sharing

To view a PDF version of our Festival guide, please follow this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o0aJkxkusZDgu2oxQ5Mf7gZ-DwTzYF7P/view

Industry Passes

A Concession Pass price is available for those in receipt of a social assistance benefit. This pass does not increase to a Last Minute Rate.

Students, 30 & Under, and ODA Country Resident concession prices are also available.

For Industry audiences with non-ticket related access enquiries, please email access@sheffdocfest.com

Click on the following link to find out more about Industry Passes https://www.sheffdocfest.com/attend/industry-pass

Ticket Information

£9.50 Concession price for screenings and events at The Crucible Theatre, Montgomery Theatre and Opening Night.

£7.50 Concession price for screenings at the Showroom, Curzon and Light Cinemas.

Concessions are available to claimants, full-time students, over 60s and Blue Light Card holders, as well as those who cannot afford standard prices via our DocsForAll concession.

We operate concessions on a trust basis and do not ask for proof of status.

Wheelchair spaces are subject to availability and must be booked in advance.

For more information, please follow this link: https://www.sheffdocfest.com/box-office-booking-information

Personal Assistant / PA Ticket Scheme

Complimentary tickets are available for Personal Assistants, Carers or Sign Language Interpreters assisting someone attending an event who is in receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or holds a CEA Card or international equivalent. Please book your ticket as normal, then email boxoffice@sheffdocfest.com with proof of DLA or CEA Card to request your complimentary ticket.

Support for Those with Young Children

DocFest is a breastfeeding-friendly event, and those with babies should feel welcome to breastfeed at all festival venues. If you require support with childcare during the festival, there are options available to you that you can take advantage of in Sheffield.

For flexible daytime or evening babysitters, we recommend downloading Bubble.

Mental Health & Wellbeing Support for Festival Attendees

In response to the urgent need to address the wider industry's responsibility, to support the mental health of those people who work in our industry, and address the underlying causes, Sheffield DocFest has partnered with experienced Mental Health Practitioners to provide free Wellbeing checks during this year's Festival.

For more information, please click the following link: https://www.sheffdocfest.com/composition/mental-health-wellbeing-support-festival-attendees

Deaf Audiences & British Sign Language Requests

British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation is available to book on a limited, first-come, first-served basis.

If you are interested in using this service to attend sessions, Q&As, and networking events, please email access@sheffdocfest.com for information. The deadline for your requests is 17:00 on the 29th May 2025.

Events with British Sign Language Interpretation

Screenings, Sessions, and Events that have BSL interpretation will be listed through the link below:

https://www.sheffdocfest.com/festival/2025/british-sign-language

Further BSL-interpreted events will be added here as and when they have been requested.

Descriptive Subtitles Screenings

Follow the link below for a list of screenings with Descriptive Subtitles (English or foreign language films with subtitles of the dialogue and additional description of non-dialogue sound)

https://www.sheffdocfest.com/festival/2025/descriptive-subtitles

We will continue to update this information, please check back for an updated list.

Live Captions

At the Crucible Theatre, all introductions, Q&As and Talks will have Live Captions.

All Industry Sessions taking place in the Crucible Theatre, Crucible Playhouse, and Montgomery Theatre will have Live Captions throughout. Some sessions in Channing Hall and Crucible Adelphi will have captions if the session format is appropriate.

Click on the link below for a list of events with Live Captions (events where the introduction, conversation and Q&A will have live captions on screen.)

https://www.sheffdocfest.com/festival/2025/live-captions

English Language Subtitled Screenings

Follow the link below for a list of Subtitled screenings (Foreign language films with English Subtitles Throughout)

https://www.sheffdocfest.com/festival/2025/subtitled

Blind & Visually Impaired Audiences

Follow the link below for a list of Audio Described films. We will continue to update this information, please check back for an updated list.

https://www.sheffdocfest.com/festival/2025/audio-description

Podcasts that are Audio Only and appropriate for blind & visually impaired audiences can be found following the links below:

https://www.sheffdocfest.com/composition/podcast-live-bad-gays

https://www.sheffdocfest.com/composition/podcast-live-here-we-go-art-football-chant

https://www.sheffdocfest.com/composition/american-life-chasing-moving-window

Alternate Realities, Quiet Hours and Relaxed Screenings

The quiet hours at the Alternate Realities Exhibition are open to everyone, but specifically those who are neurodivergent, autistic, or living with dementia who will benefit from a more relaxed, quieter space.

During the quiet hours, we welcome immunocompromised audiences to attend, as we will ask all audiences during this time to wear a mask.

Is a Relaxed Screening for Me?

Seating

You can select your seats when you arrive in the auditorium. You may sit with your family or friends, or there are some single seats if you prefer.

Please leave space between yourself and other groups and retain your selected seats for the duration of the performance if possible.

Before the screening

Doors will open approximately 30 minutes before the screening start time, and no trailers will be shown. The programme will be introduced by someone from the DocFest team or the venue.

During the screening

Our house lights will remain on a low level throughout the screening, and the volume will be turned slightly down. You will be able to move freely around the space and leave and return to the screening as needed. You will be able to make noise.

For all our Relaxed Screenings, please following this link: https://www.sheffdocfest.com/festival/2025/relaxed-screening

Festival Map and Sheffield Geography

Sheffield is built on 7 hills. If you are navigating Sheffield for the first time, please be aware that if you arriving by train, there is a long incline ramp from the train station to the Showroom Cinema and Delegate Centre. Hotels and venues are all a short walk away but are up hills and slight inclines.

A map of all the venues can be found by following this link:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/viewer?mid=1J9mC-gis5v6k-IdrbKMfh66cq6XEqSw&ll=53.38070391415904%2C-1.4726731021606398&z=14

Blue Bay Parking in Sheffield

Map from Sheffield City Council with all Blue Pay Parking locations

Map from the Website Parkopedia with disabled street or car park spots

Wheelchair Hire

Sheffield Council Directory for Mobility Hire

Mobile Sheffield - Provide daily hire of wheelchairs, tri-walkers or scooters (booking required in advance)

Accessibility by Venue

For information about the different accessibility provisions available at each of our festival venues, including the seating dimensions for each cinema venue, please follow the link below, which is in a downloadable format.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O91Y9Oe8EPCYkm2u0TDDN5PlKGP55tgX/view?usp=drive_link

If you have any questions, please email boxoffice@sheffdocfest.com. Please note, there may be limited availability depending on the venue.