TIIC 3 Dec 2026

Access at the festival

Come as you are

TIIC is a celebration of inclusion, so the festival itself has to be genuinely accessible — not accessible on paper. Here is what is in place, what we are still confirming, and how to tell us what you need.

The short version: tell us, and we will plan for it

The registration form asks what you need on the day. Whatever you write goes straight to the people arranging the venue, the volunteers and the quiet spaces. It is not a box-ticking question.

Register and tell us Or ask us a question first

What is in place

  • Wheelchair accessible throughout

    Step-free pathways between zones, and accessible restrooms on site.

  • Quiet and decompression spaces

    Low-stimulation rooms away from the main stage, for whenever the festival becomes too much. You do not need to ask permission or explain yourself to use them.

  • Accessibility trained volunteers

    Volunteers and staff are briefed on access and supporting guests before the day, and are there to be asked.

  • Shaded rest areas and senior friendly seating

    Somewhere to sit down out of the sun in every part of the site, with seating suitable for older guests.

  • Hydration and cooling stations

    Free water throughout the afternoon, and cooling points across the venue.

  • Caregiver and family support areas

    Space for families and caregivers to regroup, with support on hand.

Still being confirmed

We would rather leave a question unanswered than answer it wrongly, because people plan journeys around this page. The following are being confirmed with the venue, and this page is updated the moment each one is settled.

  • Accessible parking: how many bays, and how close to the entrance
  • Step-free drop-off point for taxis and accessible transport
  • Nearest step-free public transport and the route from it
  • Whether sign language interpretation will be available, and in which languages
  • Changing Places or adult changing facilities on site
  • Assistance dog arrangements, including a relief area and water
  • Whether any part of the programme uses strobe or flashing lighting
  • A quiet arrival window before the main crowd, for guests who need one
  • Which parts of the day are indoors and which are outdoors, and where the quiet spaces sit
  • Whether the learning and panel sessions will be captioned or interpreted

If one of these is the difference between coming and not coming, email tiic@intentional.ae or message us on WhatsApp (opens in a new tab) and we will find out for you specifically.

What to expect

Being honest about what the day is like matters as much as listing facilities. A festival for eight hundred people is a lot of sensory input, and knowing that in advance is part of being able to enjoy it.

  • The main stage is loud. Live bands, dance and the catwalk run through the afternoon. If you are sound sensitive, bring ear defenders — and the quiet spaces are deliberately sited away from it.
  • It will be busy in places. The marketplace and family zones draw crowds; the art and wellbeing zones are the calmer end of the day.
  • It runs into the evening. Shaded seating, cooling stations and free water are provided throughout. We will publish the indoor and outdoor layout, and where the quiet spaces sit within it, once the venue plan is confirmed.
  • There is no fixed schedule to keep up with. Zones run across the five hours. Arriving late, leaving early or sitting one part out costs you nothing.

Getting there

GEMS Dubai American Academy
Al Barsha, Dubai  ·  Directions on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)

3 December 2026, 2:00 to 7:00 PM. Entry is free and there is no fixed arrival time.

Parking, drop-off and step-free transport routes are in the list above being confirmed with the venue. Ask us if you need the answer before it is published.

On the day

  • Find a volunteer

    Volunteers are identifiable on site and briefed to help with access, directions and finding a quiet space.

  • Message us

    WhatsApp the team (opens in a new tab) during the festival if you need something and cannot find anyone.

  • Tell us how it went

    What worked and what did not shapes the next one. We would rather hear it than not.

This website

The site itself is held to the same standard as the festival. We test it against WCAG 2.2 Level AA on every change, and publish what we meet, what we do not, and why.

Read the website accessibility statement