Accessibility

We want to make sure everyone feels welcome visiting our office, our website and our events

Plan your visit

Our office is located at the Crescent Arts Centre, just across the street from the Crescent Church. The full address is:

Crescent Arts Centre
2-4 University Road
Belfast
BT17 1NH
You can find us on Google Maps.

Getting to our building

By Car

If you are travelling from outside of Belfast, we are easily accessible by car. We are an 11 minute drive from the M2, and we are a 7 minute drive from the Broadway roundabout which links to the M1.

Parking

Street parking is at the side of the building on Lower Crescent and Upper Crescent. The dimensions of the standard marked parking bays are 202cm x 480cm (6ft 8in x 15ft 9in). If you are planning a longer stay, there are long stay car parks within 5 minutes’ walk from the centre. The nearest car park is on Posnett Street, Belfast, BT7 1FB.

There is one designated on-street Blue Badge parking bay on Bradbury Place, 300 feet from the Crescent Arts Centre. The dimensions of the marked Blue Badge bays are 245cm x 640cm (8ft x 20ft 12in).

Please note that during busy periods, such as lunchtime, parking spaces on Lower and Upper Crescent will be in high demand.

For pre-paid parking, the cost is £0.45 for each 15-minute period, with a maximum stay of 4 hours. You can use the JustPark app for on-street parking, or call JustPark at 02891 248440 to pay for your parking. The location ID is 3434[FB1] for Lower Crescent and 3407 for Upper Crescent.

By Bike

We are a 4 minutes’ walk from the nearest Belfast Bikes docking station on Botanic Avenue. There are bike racks at the front of the Crescent Arts Centre where you can secure your bike.

By Train

The closest train station is Botanic Station which is 3 minutes’ walk away.

By Bus

If you’re travelling from within Belfast by bus, the following routes stop nearby:

• 7a and 7b – stop on Botanic Avenue, a 4 minute walk from our office.

• 8b and 8d – stop at Upper Crescent, a 1 minute walk from our office.

• 9a and 9b – stop at Fountainville Avenue stop on Lisburn Road, only a 1 minute walk from the Crescent Arts Centre.

From the Airport

The closest airport is George Best City Airport. It is a 13 minute taxi journey away, or you can take the Airport Express 600 bus service from the airport to Grand Central Station. We are 13 minutes’ walk from there.

Getting to our office

Accessing our building

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Our office is on the third floor. Upon entering the building via ramped/sloped access (main door width 110cm, inner door width 100cm and push pad 90cm from floor level), continue straight ahead, where you’ll find two steps or a gradient slope. The steps are of medium height (11cm – 17cm) and have handrails on either side. The permanent slope has a width of 140cm (4ft 7in) and bypasses the steps. On your left, you will find a passenger lift.

Stairs access

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Stairs are available on the right through an automatic door and are equipped with handrails on both sides.

Wide doors with automated access

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All doors in the centre are extra wide to allow easier access for power chairs, wheelchairs, walking aids, buggies and prams. In much of the building, there are automated doors, facilitating easier access to the offices and accessible toilets.

Reception and available assistance

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The Crescent Arts Centre reception area is located to the left as you enter the building. If you need assistance accessing the thrive office, please ask a member of the team, who will point you in the right direction.

Crescent Arts Centre on University Road

Disabled parking space on Bradbury Place

Parking spaces on Lower Crescent

Entrance to the Crescent Arts Centre

The Crescent reception

Steps and slopes leading to the lift and stairs

The passenger lift on the ground floor

thrive is on the third floor

Stairs with handrails

Exiting the lift on the third floor

Reaching the third floor by stairs

Door leading to the thrive office

The thrive office

Accessible bathroom on the third floor

Building accessibility

Lift access

The third floor can be reached by a standard passenger lift. After exiting the lift, you will find our office on the right, just before the main glass door leading to the staircase. The lift’s dimensions are 132cm x 137cm (4ft 4in x 4ft 6in). The controls for the lift are within 90cm - 120cm from the floor. The lift is equipped with Braille markings.

Ramps

The main reception area is accessible via a permanent ramp, which is 140cm (4ft 7in) wide, with a slight gradient and handrails on both sides.

Evacusafe chairs

The Crescent Arts Centre team is trained to operate ‘Evacusafe’ chairs to assist anyone during an emergency evacuation.

Tactile signage

Tactile signage is used in key areas within the centre. All signage has been designed to facilitate ease of reading for those with visual impairments.

Assistance dogs

Assistance dogs are welcome throughout the Crescent Arts Centre.

Emergency call buttons

Emergency call buttons are located at safe refuge points throughout the building. These can be used to request assistance in case of an emergency.

Accessible toilets

Accessible toilets are available on every floor. There is also a Changing Places facility on the ground floor. This is a new combined toilet, shower and changing room that has been specially designed for use by people with disabilities or complex care needs. The Changing Place facility is accessible with a radar key, which Crescent Arts Centre staff can provide.

JAM-Friendly

The Crescent Arts Centre is a JAM (Just a Minute) friendly organisation, meaning sensitivity to visitors who may need a little extra time. If the space becomes too loud or crowded, disposable earplugs are available for free at the reception area. Ear defenders are also available—just show your JAM card at the reception to use them. Additionally, there is a hearing assistance loop system at the main reception desk, and the venue does not play any background music.

If you have any specific accessibility needs or want to leave feedback, please email Úna.

Email Úna

Accessibility on our website

Visual clarity

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Colour contrast

We’ve ensured that all text and important elements meet the AA accessibility standard for colour contrast. This ensures that users with visual impairments, like colour blindness, can easily read the content. You can learn about contrast guidelines here.

Text size

Body text is set to minimum of 18px for easy readability, with smaller text set to 16px and 14px for supporting content, ensuring everyone can read the website comfortably.

Button sizing

All clickable elements, like buttons, have been sized to a minimum of 44x44px to make them easier to tap or click, particularly on mobile devices.

Structure and navigation

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Semantic HTML

We’ve structured the site using semantic HTML – this means we’ve used proper tags for headings, paragraphs, and sections, making the content more understandable for screen readers. This is key for users who rely on assistive technologies to navigate the site.

Focus states

We’ve ensure that all interactive elements, like buttons and form fields, have clear focus states (e.g. a highlighted border or background colour) when selected via keyboard. This helps users navigate the site without a mouse.

Keyboard navigation

The site is fully navigable via keyboard, meaning that users who can’t use a mouse can still access every part of the site with ease.

Inclusive media

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Alt text

Images on the website have alternative text (alt text). This allows screen readers to describe images to users with visual impairments, ensuring they can still understand the content.

Skip links

We’ve added skip-to-content links, which helps users jump directly to the main content of the page, bypassing repetitive navigation elements. This is especially helpful for screen reader users and those navigating via keyboard.

Accessible search

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Algolia integration

Our search experience has been upgraded with Algolia, which improves content discoverability. Users can now find relevant articles, case studies, and toolkits more quickly and efficiently. The search also adapts to accessibility needs, providing an intuitive experience for all users.

Standards and future proofing

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WCAG compliance

Our design meets WCAG 2.1 AA standards as a minimum, with a focus on achieving AAA compliance wherever possible. WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) are the global standard for web accessibility, and we strive to ensure the website is usable by everyone, regardless of ability. More information on WCAG can be found here.

Accessibility at our events

We’re committed to making our events welcoming to everyone.

Find out more

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