Liverpool is set to host a new ground breaking inclusive sports and cultural festival. The event will be the first of it’s kind in the UK and will feature elite athletes that compete in the Paralympics as well as a world class disabled-led arts and culture programme. The event scheduled for May next year is set to make history by being a way to help promote disabled athletes on the world stage.
The primary stage for the festival will be the city’s iconic waterfront which has a variety of venues including the M&S Bank Arena and Exhibition Centre at the Liverpool Experience Campus, the neighbouring Salthouse and Albert Docks, and Pier Head. The city will be transformed in to a vibrant hub of energy, creativity and elite performance, redefining how sport and culture can be experienced together.
Among the different sports being showcased at the event with be Boccia, Para Athletics, Wheelchair Rugby and Paracanoe, delivered in partnership with Boccia UK, UK Athletics, Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby and Paddle UK, alongside a ground-breaking arts and cultural programme. This will help to give disabled athletes more exposure so that they can compete on a level playing field to help build their careers.
There will be a number of sports at the heart of this extraordinary spectacle including Wheelchair Rugby – fast, physical and high-impact – will take centre stage at the M&S Bank Arena from Sunday 2 to Friday 7 May, with six international teams competing in what promises to be an electric atmosphere.
The World Boccia Cup which counts towards Paralympic qualification will take place at the Exhibition Centre from Monday 3 to Friday 7 May.
Paracanoe comes to Salthouse Dock on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 May, offering free-to-view racing that combines speed, control and technical skill against the backdrop of Liverpool’s iconic waterfront.
On Saturday 8 May, Para Athletics – the largest sport in the Paralympics – will take over Liverpool Waterfront, including Pier Head, for a free open-air celebration of sprinting, jumping and throwing at the highest level of the sport.
A new athletes village will be built where competitors, creators and audiences can come together and collaborate on their experiences to work together and make the event the best experience and encourage people to want to come back and see more. This will help to build the foundation for different sports and bring in more much needed revenue.
Delivered in partnership with UK Sport, ParalympicsGB, Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council, supported by Liverpool Accommodation BID, the Festival represents a major collaboration across sport, culture and community, with ambitions to create a lasting legacy both locally and nationally. Through moments of joy, pride, energy and togetherness, it will offer audiences a chance to witness history as it happens in one of the world’s most iconic waterfront cities.
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, said: “This is an innovative, ground-breaking concept and it’s fantastic to see plans progress and the vision start to come to life.
“We are well-known for our track record of delivering world-class events in Liverpool, and we are set to make history once again with this festival as the first event of its kind in the UK.
“The community we are creating as part of Inclusive Sport and Culture Festival will celebrate excellence, identity, and connection – bringing together athletes, artists, and audiences, in a truly accessible and inclusive way.
“Together with our partners, we want to redefine how sport and culture can be experienced collectively and amplify visibility and opportunities for people with disabilities throughout our community and beyond.”
Esther Britten, Head of Events and External Affairs at UK Sport, said: “We’re proud to be bringing this new festival to Liverpool, creating a unique multi-sport platform for world-class Paralympic sport and a bold, disabled-led cultural programme.
“Providing more competitive opportunities for Paralympic athletes is a key priority for us, and this event has been designed to support athletes on the road to LA 2028, while showcasing the depth of talent this country has to offer.
“We’re especially excited to be working alongside Arts Council England for the first time, bringing sport and culture together to celebrate excellence, challenge perceptions and open up new opportunities.
“Liverpool is a city known for its energy and creativity, and this event, made possible thanks to National Lottery funding, will leave a lasting impact on how inclusive sport and culture are experienced across the UK.”
Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England said: “Our country is home to brilliant, awe-inspiring world-beating disabled artists and athletes. This major investment will shine a light on their creative and sporting excellence, boosting national pride and inspiring the next generation of outstanding performers, whether that’s in the arts or in sport.”
5 times Paralympic Medallist and 12 times Paracanoe World Champion, Emma Wiggs MBE, said: “It’s hugely exciting as both an athlete and a member of the Steering Group to see this groundbreaking event start to come to life. It has never been more important to embrace diversity and difference and to grasp opportunities to showcase a more inclusive world.
“UK Sport are world leaders in major events and together with National Lottery support I have no doubt that the Inclusive Sport and Culture Festival in Liverpool next year will uniquely showcase both worlds and be a trailblazing event, setting the standard for others to follow”.
