Big Umbrella Festival

Lincoln Center believes the arts are for everyone! On September 16–18, we welcome young audiences with autism and other developmental disabilities and their families to our free weekend of programming at Big Umbrella Festival.

Launched in 2018, the Big Umbrella Festival centers audiences with autism and other developmental disabilities by sharing unique approaches to sensory-based, interactive, and intimate artistic experiences to meet audiences exactly as they are. This three-day, campus-wide festival features performances, installations, workshops, and online content designed with and for neurodiverse audiences. This year’s festival is both indoors and outdoors; families are invited to choose from four timed slots on Saturday and Sunday, plus a Friday night session dedicated to teens and young adults.

All events are Relaxed Performances, designed to be inclusive for guests with a range of sensory needs. We encourage guests to engage with events at their comfort level, in a supportive environment. Accommodations include:

• Visual Guide, in English and Spanish, detailing directions, arrival instructions, and venue amenities with images.
• All events are located on accessible routes and will include accessible entrances, restrooms, and seating.
• Assistive listening devices with headsets and neck loops are available at all performances.
• American Sign Language interpretation available for most performances and upon request.
• Captioning available for some performances and upon request.
• Audio description available for film events and upon request.
• Chill out spaces are available, as well as noise-reducing headphones and fidgets at all event spaces.