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Tuesday 10am - 5:30pm Wednesday 10am - 5:30pm Thursday 10am - 5:30pm Friday 10am - 5:30pm

University of Atypical for Arts and Disability

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University of Atypical for Arts and Disability

We are a multi-art form organisation which means we work with all types of visual, verbal, performance, music, craft and creative arts.

University of Atypical is a disabled-led charity based in Northern Ireland, developing, showcasing and promoting art and access to arts by and for D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people. University of Atypical for Arts and Disability is a disabled-led arts charity, taking an empowerment based approach towards supporting disabled, d/Deaf and neurodiverse people’s involvement in the arts. Our fo

cus is working with people across all disabilities, neurodiversities and the d/Deaf community. We deliver a year-round programme of exhibitions and events, training and workshops. Our annual Bounce Arts Festival, The Atypical Gallery, the Ledger Studio performance space and our grant awards for disabled, d/Deaf and neurodiverse artists of all arts disciplines are key aspects of our work. If you are an artist, arts organisation, interested in volunteering or work within the disability sector, we would love to hear from you. We are core funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Belfast City Council, The Ireland Funds and supported by a range of other funders.

'University of Atypical for Arts and Disability' operates under the legal name of 'Arts and Disability Forum'. Registered office address is Ground Floor, 109-113 Royal Avenue, Belfast, Co Antrim, BT1 1FF
Company Registration Number is NI051776
Charity number 101588

20/08/2026

Bounce Arts Festival 2026 is fast approaching!

From 30 September - 4 October, venues across Belfast will come alive with performances, creativity and celebration, and we’d love you to be part of it!

We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to join the Bounce team and help make this year’s festival one to remember. Whether it’s welcoming audiences, supporting artists or helping things run smoothly behind the scenes, our volunteers play a huge part in creating a friendly and memorable experience for everyone.

Looking to gain valuable experience in the arts, or know someone who is? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected] or register through this link https://buff.ly/eUvApAC

As a disabled-led organisation, we welcome volunteers who are d/Deaf, disabled, or neurodivergent, and those from diverse backgrounds. We are interested in working with you whether you are introverted or extroverted, if you know a lot or very little about the arts, if you have specific skills or if you just want to learn!

Our Bounce Festival volunteer roles are ideal for anyone who:

Is over 18 and can attend at least one of our August training sessions
Is interested in the arts
Wants to know what goes on behind the scenes at a festival
Is keen to develop their front of house skills
Enjoys working as part of a team

17/08/2026

We are very pleased to announce that the sign up link for the second of our two online workshops as part of our ‘Very Interesting Perspectives: Blind arts professional network’ project is now live!

Fia Neises (She/They), who is being hosted by tanzhaus nrw, will be holding an innovative workshop titled ‘Sounding Bodies’. This workshop aims to explore the question: How can a moving body on stage create a rich and engaging experience that goes beyond audio description for blind and visually impaired audiences? Participants are encouraged to wear clothing that makes sound or to bring small instruments.

Book your spot through this link https://buff.ly/usl6BtF

This event is part of Very Interesting Perspectives: Blind artists professional network, run in partnership with Quiplash CIC and tanzhaus nrw. This Project is funded by the Four Nations International Fund through Arts Council England, Arts Council Northern Ireland, Arts Council Wales, Creative Scotland and Wales Arts International.

14/08/2026

We are very pleased to announce that the sign up link for the first online workshop as part of our Very Interesting Perspective: Blind Artists’ Professional Network is now live!

Amelia Lander- Cavallo (they/them), who makes up one half of Quiplash, will be facilitating what is set to be a very engaging 3 hour-long workshop on the radical potential of integrated audio description.

Integrated audio description (IAD) is an access tool in which audio description forms part of the main audio track for a performance. Amelia will be exploring how IAD can be used as its own creative method, as well as as an access tool.

Book your spot through using this link https://buff.ly/sRyeYMJ

This event is as part of Very interesting Perspectives: Blind artists’ professional network and is run in partnership with Quiplash CIC and tanzhaus nrw. This Project is funded by the Four Nations International Fund through Arts Council England, Arts Council Northern Ireland, Arts Council Wales, Creative Scotland and Wales Arts International.

Quiplash

10/08/2026

Had fun volunteering at the Fleadh, or looking for your next volunteering opportunity?

Bounce Arts Festival 2026 is just around the corner, with events across Belfast from Wednesday 30 September until Sunday 4 October 2026. We are looking for more volunteers to join our fantastic team to help us make the festival happen. Volunteers are an integral part of the Bounce Arts Festival. They provide a warm welcome to everyone, and ensure that audience members and artists come away with a fabulous experience.

Are you looking to gain valuable art experience, or know someone who is? If so, we’d love to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]

As a disabled-led organisation, we welcome volunteers who are d/Deaf, disabled, or neurodivergent, and those from diverse backgrounds. We are interested in working with you whether you are introverted or extroverted, if you know a lot or very little about the arts, if you have specific skills or if you just want to learn!

Our Bounce Festival volunteer roles are ideal for anyone who:

- Is over 18 and can attend at least one of our August training sessions
- Is interested in the arts
- Wants to know what goes on behind the scenes at a festival
- Is keen to develop their front of house skills
- Enjoys working as part of a team

08/08/2026

A free Sightless Cinema radio drama workshop for people with visual impairments begins this September. The workshop is at Accidental Theatre on Thursdays from 11:00 am - 1:30 pm.

No experience is necessary. The workshop is open to anyone from Northern Ireland who is visually impaired.

For more information, please contact the RNIB Social Action Coordinator via Facebook, or email [email protected].

Sightless Cinema is a collaborative audio theatre project by theatre-maker Ciarán Taylor and people who have sight loss. It has been running since 2014 in cooperation with Vision Ireland. Ciarán works with group members over an extended period to devise, script, record and perform audio plays for surround sound presentation in cinemas and theatres.

Belfast Sightless Cinema is funded by Creative Ireland as part of Creative Communities on a Shared Island programme, in partnership with Creative Ireland South Dublin and Laois, Accidental Theatre, Open Arts, University of Atypical, SARC at Queen’s University, and RNIB.

07/08/2026

University of Atypical for Arts and Disability, in partnership with tanshaus nrw, Fia Neises and Quiplash CIC, is very excited to announce ‘Very Interesting Perspectives: Blind Artists Network’ (VIP)- a project celebrating the groundbreaking work of Blind and visually impaired artists.

We’re kicking off with two exciting online workshops. Amelia from Quiplash will explore the artistic applications of integrated audio description, while Berlin based performance artist Fia Neises will lead a workshop exploring the body as an instrument.

The project concludes with the Very Interesting Perspectives Panel and Networking Event at The MAC, Belfast, as part of this year’s Bounce Arts Festival. Amelia and Fia will be joined by Padraig Naughton (Arts and Disability Ireland), Helen Hall (dancer and choreographer) and Victoria Geelan (singer), followed by a networking opportunity for Blind and visually impaired artists.

Free tickets for both online workshops are available soon on TicketSource.

Panel tickets will be available soon through The MAC website, so stay tuned!

TANZHAUS NRW DÜSSELDORF Noche de la Salsa AM MITTWOCH Quiplash

Funded by the Four Nations International Fund through Arts Council England, Arts Council Northern Ireland, Arts Council Wales, Creative Scotland and Wales Arts International.

Creative Scotland Disrupt Disability Arts Festival Theatre and Dance NI Arts & Disability Ireland Disability Arts Cymru / Celfyddydau Anabledd Cymru Disability Arts Online

05/08/2026

Disability Arts Online (DAO) are launching an open call for contributions for national project Cripping Culture: A Journey into Disability Arts Heritage

DAO would like to hear about significant disability arts projects and events that you’ve been involved in or experienced. We want to know how they contributed to your life and the Disability Arts movement. These will play an important part in the stories told through the Chipping Culture accessible digital timeline and archive that we will be creating as part of the project, saving our heritage for future generations.

This is your chance to safeguard the history of disability arts as part of a nationally significant project.

The deadline for submissions is 9:00 am Monday 14 September

More information and submit your story here: https://buff.ly/KlaNQFX

Please direct any questions you may have to [email protected]

04/08/2026

On Wednesday 26 August 2026 we will be hosting our next Atypical Book Club!

We will be discussing the novella The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, attempting to spark new and productive conversations about how this novel can be read through the lens of disability. Thus, exploring themes of depression and anxiety, chronic pain, the tension points between capitalism, family dynamics, and disability.

We hope to provide a space for the disabled community to connect and discuss challenging ideas.

Anyone is welcome to join, particularly if you are Deaf, disabled, or neurodivergent. The Book Club is an accessible and welcoming space where everyone can join in meaningful and open conversations inspired by our carefully curated reading list. Even if you don’t finish the book, please come along anyway and join the discussion, you can email to request a summary!

Places are free, but please book online so you can tell us any access or dietary requirements.
The booking link is https://buff.ly/Q6HcEhP

You can also contact us on 028 9023 9450 or at [email protected].

03/08/2026

Join us at Atypical Gallery for Late Night Art Belfast on Thursday 6 August, from 6:00 - 9:00 pm.

If you're in Belfast enjoying the music, atmosphere and festivities of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, why not take a break and discover some contemporary art?
Explore ‘What Lies Within’, a group exhibition bringing together the work of artists from across Ireland through Art Is Collective, Connections Arts Centre, and Mencap. These three outstanding organisations support artists with learning disabilities and mental health conditions, delivering programmes that nurture creative skills, confidence, and professional ambition.

Meet fellow art lovers, and spend an evening celebrating creative discovery and community.

Our transport and parking arrangements are disrupted during Fleadh Cheoil so make sure to read our previous posts or the Fleadh Cheoil website for information. If you have a gallery access request, please email [email protected].
We'd love to welcome you!

https://buff.ly/aCgxkyT

01/08/2026

Planning a visit to Atypical Gallery during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann?
Whether you're visiting What Lies Within, joining us for Late Night Art, or simply dropping in while you're enjoying the Fleadh, we're looking forward to welcoming you.
From 2-9 August, Belfast city centre will be much busier than usual, with road closures, traffic restrictions and a pedestrianised event zone in place.

As Atypical Gallery is located in the Cathedral Quarter, we're within the pedestrianised zone. We are open as usual, but we recommend planning your journey in advance and allowing a little extra time to reach us.

If you're travelling into the city, public transport, walking or Park & Ride are recommended where possible. A low-floor shuttle bus will operate on a loop around the city centre daily for anyone with accessibility requirements. Car parks at Smithfield and Dunbar Link will be reserved for Blue Badge holders throughout the Fleadh.

Open Arts will operate an Accessibility Hub providing information, signposting, communication supports and accessible formats. They will be on the first floor of CastleCourt from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on each day of the event.

For the latest travel information, accessibility guidance, and maps, please visit the official Fleadh Cheoil website: https://buff.ly/JNo0A3t.

If you have any questions about accessing the gallery, please email [email protected].

Address

Ground Floor, Cathedral Quarter Workspaces, 109-113 Royal Avenue
Belfast
BT11FF

Opening Hours

Tuesday	10am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	10am - 5:30pm
Thursday	10am - 5:30pm
Friday	10am - 5:30pm

Telephone

02890239450

Website

http://www.universityofatypical.org/

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