Accessible services at the Festival

We provide Communication Boards for people who would like to use them at the Festival.

You can collect Communication Boards from the Box Office and Info Booth outside Melbourne Town Hall. Some venues may also provide Communication Boards. Just ask Front of House staff. 

Download the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Communication Board.

Sensory Backpacks are available to borrow for free, subject to availability, during children's shows at ACMI and Melbourne Museum. The backpacks contain noise-cancelling headphones and fidget toys suitable for school-aged children.

If you need help with sensory needs at a children’s show, please speak to our Front of House team. They will be happy to help.

Please return the Sensory Backpack to the Festival team after the show.

Some shows and venues have Social Stories or Visual Stories.

Social Stories are short documents that help you learn what to expect when you visit a venue. They can be especially helpful for children and people with autism.

A Social Story may include information about:

• What you can bring to the venue
• Where to go when you arrive
• Services available at the venue
• How to identify venue staff
• What to expect before, during and after the show

Social Stories use easy-to-understand language and pictures to help make the information clear and accessible.

See our Social Stories for this year.

Shows at venues with this symbol have step-free access and are wheelchair accessible.

You can filter your search results on our website to find shows at these venues. You can also check the accessibility information on each show page.

On a show page, scroll down past the calendar to find Show Details. If you are on a desktop, this will be on the right-hand side of the page.

Click the + sign to open the Venue information.

If the wheelchair symbol is not visible, step-free or wheelchair access may be limited or unavailable.

Find more detailed information about our Festival Managed Venues here.

Some venues offer assistive listening. This may be provided through a hearing loop or an assistive listening device. 

A hearing loop allows you to use your own hearing aid to hear amplified sound directly through your hearing aid.

An assistive listening device can be borrowed from the venue for the performance. It might include headphones that provide an amplified version of the film sound.

Information about the type of assistive listening available is listed under the venue name on each show page. 

You can search for shows with Assistive Listening using More Filters on our Browse Shows page. Select the + next to Accessibility, then choose Hearing loop available.

Find more detailed information about our Festival Managed Venues here.

Auslan is the sign language used by the Australian Deaf community. Auslan interpreters usually stand next to the performer or to one side of the stage. They translate the show for the audience.

Auslan interpreted performances are marked with a purple circle in the calendar on each show page. Select a performance to see the name of the Auslan interpreter, if one has been confirmed.

See a list of Auslan interpreted performances for this year.

Some shows offer Relaxed performances. These are designed to create a more comfortable and sensory-friendly environment. They can be helpful for many people.

This includes neurodivergent people, people with learning disabilities, dementia, or anxiety, and people who have experienced trauma. They may also be helpful for people who experience sensory processing differences, including people with autism or ADHD.

Each relaxed performance is different. It may include:

• Less intense lighting and sound
• Doors that stay open
• Access to a quiet space
• House lights that stay on
• Being able to make noise and move around
• Pre-show resources to help you prepare

Relaxed performances are marked on show pages using a blue circle in the calendar view.

More information about the relaxed elements may be included in the event description. Further information may be shared with you before the show.

See a list of Relaxed performances for this year.

Guide dogs and assistance animals are welcome in all venues.

Some venues may have fixed chairs or crowded seating. It might help to contact the Festival or the venue prior to your show. We can make sure you’re seated in an area that has enough space for your guide dog or assistance animal to feel comfortable.

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is part of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network. We are committed to training our staff to understand hidden disabilities. We aim to raise awareness and provide an inclusive environment.

If you or someone you are with has a hidden disability and needs extra support, please let a Festival staff member know. We will do our best to help. 

For more information about the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, visit the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower website.

Travellers Aid provides free travel and connection services for people with disabilities or mobility impairments when travelling to and from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Travellers Aid volunteers will be available at several public transport stops in the CBD. After the show, they can also help you travel from Melbourne Town Hall back to these stops.

Look for an A-frame sign with the Travellers Aid logo to find the meeting points:

• Flinders Street Railway Station
• Town Hall Railway Station
• Tram Stop 6 (Town Hall) - wheelchair service available
• Tram Stop 11 (City Square) - wheelchair service available

To use this service, please fill out this form at least 24 hours before your show.

For more information, visit the Travellers Aid website or call 0498 023 959 to speak with a Travellers Aid on-site coordinator.