The Portuguese Tourism Board and the National Institute for Rehabilitation have once again awarded the Imaginarius – Santa Maria da Feira International Street Theatre Festival with the “Accessible Festival” seal, as part of the Accessible Festivals Program, an initiative that aims to promote and distinguish inclusive practices in cultural events. In three editions held (2023, 2025 and 2026), this is the third time the festival has received this distinction, a result of the accessibility and inclusion conditions provided to all audiences. The announcement was made this Thursday, 26 February, at BTL, which runs until 1 March at FIL, in Lisbon.
The jury highlighted the satisfactory level of innovation and comprehensiveness of the accessibility measures implemented by the festival, with a view to promoting equal opportunities and inclusion, and also recognized the commitment shown in implementing good accessibility practices.
Accessibility and inclusion are fundamental pillars of the cultural strategy of the Municipality of Santa Maria da Feira, and this assessment represents yet another important stimulus for the continuity and reinforcement of good practices already implemented, raising the standards of cultural enjoyment for all audiences.
With an uninterrupted 12-year track record of working in the field of accessibility, Imaginarius continues to provide tools that seek to guarantee access to the programming content for different audiences, providing the best possible welcome in the various spaces of the venue and the full enjoyment of the programming, positioning itself as a festival for everyone.
In its 25th edition, Imaginarius will once again offer services such as Portuguese Sign Language (LGP), Audio Description (AD), Braille, loan of noise-canceling headphones for audiences with neurodivergences, wheelchairs and strollers, accessible restrooms, and stages with accessible seating.
During the three days of the festival, several stages in the venue will have priority seating available for people with reduced mobility; the festival program will be accessible with Portuguese Sign Language interpretation on the event’s official website; there will be shows with audio description services for visually impaired people; the Interactive Tourism Shop will provide the program (summary) in Braille, wheelchairs will be available for loan to people with reduced mobility and baby strollers.
A joint initiative of Turismo de Portugal and the National Institute for Rehabilitation, the Accessible Festivals program aims to promote and distinguish inclusive practices in cultural events that offer the necessary conditions for accessibility and inclusion (comfort, safety and autonomy) for all audiences, including people with specific motor, sensory and cognitive needs, or those who, due to their life circumstances, are temporarily limited, such as pregnant women, children and seniors.
Framed within the objectives of Turismo de Portugal’s All for All program, this initiative aims to continue encouraging tourism and cultural offerings for all, in this case, through cultural events in the areas of street arts, performing arts, visual arts, cinema, dance, literature, music and theatre, which contribute to attracting national and international tourist flows to the entire territory throughout the year, boosting local economies.
The Imaginarius festival takes place between May 21st and 23rd in the historic centre of Santa Maria da Feira.
