Morning theatre friends. Grace here, with a rather heart-warming delivery that’s just tumbled out of my satchel.
Birmingham Hippodrome has launched a Big Give Arts for Impact campaign to raise £36,000 for improved festival access, community participation and inclusive cultural experiences across its 2026 programme, including Birmingham Weekender
Now if you’ve ever wandered into a festival and suddenly found yourself smiling at street performers, music drifting across the square, or some dazzling bit of theatre you didn’t expect, you’ll know exactly why this matters. Those moments should belong to everyone.
The money raised will support the Hippodrome’s access and community engagement work, helping more groups attend festivals produced by the theatre, including the always lively Birmingham Weekender taking place this summer.
And here’s the part that made me pause mid-delivery round and say “well that’s rather splendid.” Every donation made online between Tuesday 17 March and Tuesday 24 March will be doubled through match funding, thanks to support from The Reed Foundation. So every pound donated will go twice as far.
The funds will help Birmingham Hippodrome host dedicated Access Hubs at festivals, where specialist staff and trained volunteers can welcome visitors, share information and run activities so everyone feels included.
There are also plans to run special tours for community groups attending Birmingham Weekender for the first time, helping them build confidence before stepping into the festival crowds.
Language interpreters will support community groups during workshops and hosted visits, while the festivals themselves will see expanded access provision including British Sign Language interpretation, audio description at performances and more wheelchair viewing platforms.
And something I thought was particularly thoughtful. The campaign will also help provide transport to and from festivals, making sure the cost of getting there doesn’t stop someone from joining in.
Judith Greenburgh, Head of Fundraising and Development at Birmingham Hippodrome, says their free festival programme already ignites the city with world-class arts, but they want to deepen accessibility and inclusion for disabled visitors and underserved communities so even more people can experience creativity in new and unforgettable ways.
She added that campaigns like Arts for Impact make a real difference to the Hippodrome’s work as an independent charity, helping them reach communities who might otherwise face barriers to engaging with arts and culture.
So there you have it. A little reminder that sometimes the most powerful thing in theatre isn’t the spotlight or the stage, but simply making sure there’s a seat for everyone who wants to be part of the story.
Donations open at midday on Tuesday 17 March and run until Tuesday 24 March.
Right then, I’d better close up the satchel before the next story escapes.
Find out more here and donate: Festival Connections for Vulnerable Communities – Big Give
Grace
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