Accessibility at BEAF Festival 2023
Places define our work, it is where we make creative things happen from our pop-up events, our annual festival and our year-round creative projects. Some are managed by our community and business partners and some are gifted to us to create new locations for our creative projects.
We commission and co-create new work and find affordable places in which to experiment, exhibit, perform and stage events. We also create opportunities for freelancers, volunteers and people who want to work in the arts, opening doors for people, because we believe in a world where there are no barriers. We believe people should feel supported and valued, whatever their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or gender identity.
Search our directory for venues to see what is around us and see below for spaces at BEAF Festival 2023 and what to expect.
Boscombe Arts Depot
B.A.D
B.A.D. Boscombe Arts Depot is our key venue and was first opened for the 2019 festival with our pop up theatre developed for The Outsiders Project. Originally the T J Hughes Department store, we have now created a large gallery space, a theatre-in-the-round, lounge cinema, recording studio and education space.
Boscombe Arts Depot (B.A.D.) 616-622 Christchurch Rd, BH1 4BP.
ACCESS
B.A.D. is on the ground floor and has wide doors for access. We are currently fundraising to build accessible toilets, in the meantime accessible toilets are available in the sovereign centre.
Getting to us:
If you are coming by foot or by bus, you can take the M2 more bus and get off near Boscanova if coming from Southbourne or next to Aldi if coming from Poole and Bournemouth. Walk along the high-street and please come to the main entrance at B.A.D. directly opposite Costa.
If you are coming by car we would recommend parking in the sovereign centre car park, then come to the main entrance on the high-street.
Pokesdown for Boscombe train station is a 15-20 minute walk from B.A.D. along Christchurch Road.
The Royal Arcade
Boscombe’s beautiful Royal Arcade filled with independent shops, boutiques and bazaars selling niche clothing, bric-a-brac, collectables and coffee.
The Royal Arcade Boscombe, 566 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth, BH1 4BT.
ACCESS:
The Royal Arcade is next to the Sovereign Centre and can be accessed on Boscombe Precinct. It is on the ground floor and is wheelchair accessible. You can use the toilets at the Sovereign Centre.
Studio Roost
Studio Roost is a photographic business available for portrait, product, architectural, fashion and lifestyle commissions in the Dorset area. As well as providing space for in-house production the studio also provides local photographers, filmmakers, visual artists and small businesses access to a studio without the expense of owning one.
Studio Roost, 635 Christchurch Rd, Boscombe, Bournemouth BH1 4AP.
ACCESS:
Studio Roost is located on Boscombe Precinct above Sainsbury’s. Unfortunately this space is not accessible to wheelchiar users or to those who may find it hard to climb stairs.
The Old School House
TOSH
TOSH our main HQ and admin space, The Old School House is managed by our partner charity, Recreate Dorset to provide a creative community hub in Boscombe. Visit TOSH website.
The Old School House, Gladstone Rd E, Gladstone Rd, Bournemouth BH7 6BG
ACCESS
TOSH is on the ground floor and has an accessible toilet. It is a co-working space for our community and is open to everyone. It has kitchen facilities and parking available for the TOSH community and residents.
O2 Academy
O2 Academy Bournemouth is an outstanding Grade II listed building and provides a beautiful backdrop for any live performance. Over 100 years old, the venue was built in 1894 by Archibald Beckett and opened on 27 May 1895 as The Grand Theatre and Pavilion. Early shows came from some of the biggest talents of the time, alongside silent film, opera and even a circus. Following major refurbishment in 2006, O2 Academy Bournemouth launched in September 2009.
O2 Academy Bournemouth, 570 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth, BH1 4BH.
ACCESS:
Wheelchair spaces are available. For detailed information about the 02’s access work please visit their website.
Toilets: There’s an accessible toilet controlled by a RADAR key which staff will provide access to if needed. It’s just outside the auditorium on ground level. There are more toilets available in the same area, so please speak to any member of staff for directions and assistance, especially if you’re visiting us for the first time.
Police Box
A police box similar to that made famous in the television series Doctor Who which opened to the public in 2016. It is sponsored by Coastal BID.
The Boscombe Police Call Box (TARDIS), Christchurch Rd, Boscombe, Bournemouth BH1 4BT.
Sovereign Centre
Sovereign Centre
The bright and popular Sovereign Shopping Centre is the retail heart of Boscombe, Bournemouth, in Dorset, boasting a range of popular national retailers.
For further details visit their website.
Sovereign Shopping Centre, 600 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 4SX
ACCESS:
The centre is all on one level and main entrances are fitted with automated door opening controls at wheelchair height.
Parking is also convenient, with multiple disabled bays on the ground floor, the same level as the shops, with large, easy to operate lifts to other parking levels. The bus station is immediately adjacent to the centre and, again, on the same level as all our shops and facilities.
There are no ramps or stairs for you to negotiate anywhere!
Toilets: Our two dedicated, unisex disabled toilets can be found near the bus stop and Penny Lane entrances and are opened with your Radar key. If you’ve forgotten your key, don’t worry, press the button on the wall and a member of our team will be with you shortly to unlock them.
Getting here:
Boscombe is just 2 miles from the town of Bournemouth in Dorset. The Centre has great transport links and is adjacent to Boscombe bus station. More detailed information about buses and links can be found here.
Bournemouth Foodbank
Bournemouth Foodbank is working towards a future where food banks are no longer needed. They have different centres in Dorset and are supported by The Trussell Trust, a UK charity which supports communities.
Bournemouth Foodbank, 118 Haviland Rd, Boscombe, Bournemouth, BH7 6HW.
BEAF Art Pavilion
The BEAF Art Pavilon, a new commission by BEAF will open during our festival on 17 June 2023.
Created by local designer Karolina Bilvinaite, from Bed Studio, the pavilion combines the work of artists and the community, making this a vibrant and colourful hub for the duration of the festival. Street artists Ninth Seal, Tech Moon and arts facilitator Beth Brickman have worked together with students from SWRAC, the South West Regional Assessment Centre, supporting young people with learning differences, to create a four metre high artwork, a cabinet of curiosities taking references from Boscombe’s past and future.
Boscombe Precinct 627 Christchurch Rd Boscombe, BH1 4AP.
It is loacted outside B.A.D. on Boscombe precinct.