Play, Discover and Make Music at our Family Festival Weekend
This May half-term, we are presenting our first ever family festival, organised by our Creative Engagement team! Taking place from 23-24 May, little ones and their grown-ups will have Stoller Hall all to themselves and enjoy playing through musical experiences. We’re excited to present new shows alongside family favourite Stoller Story Sounds, plus we will have a full day of accessible, SEND-friendly activities on Saturday 23 May.
Providing experiences for young people and families to discover and engage with music is an essential part of our programme and mission. We asked Anna from our Creative Engagement team what families can expect at Stoller Hall’s family festival, what makes our venue a welcoming space for families and SEND-friendly, and what else there is to look forward to.
Stoller Hall is hosting its first family festival. How did this come about, and how has our family offer grown?
“Creative Engagement’s mission is to showcase the power of music, making it more accessible and welcoming for all. We believe that money should not be a barrier to accessing music, therefore we aim to provide affordable musical experiences for everyone. This mission starts with our Family Programme where we provide musical experiences for families with children as young as 3.
“Through regular programming of our family favourites, Stoller Story Sounds, Mini Music Adventures, and other family concerts, we have established a reputation among families that Stoller Hall is a welcoming and inclusive place for grown-ups and their little ones to explore music together. We create safe spaces for families to make music and get creative, with families often choosing to stay and play in our spaces before and after their sessions.
“Our family weekend takeover will offer musical events and experiences solely for family audiences, free from restrictions of other programming. We hope that the family festival gives more families the opportunity to visit us and see that we are a great place to stay, play, and discover the power of music.”
What can families expect at our Family Festival Weekend?
“The festival will offer families the opportunity to experience lots of different spaces in our venue through affordable and free activities specifically for them. With every event being dedicated to family fun, families will have free rein to explore, get creative, and experience music. Ticketed events include family favourite Stoller Story Sounds, a musical adventure perfect for children aged 3-5. Families can also watch brand-new storybook concert The Storm Whale for children aged 3-7, presented by Music in the Round. There will be a variety of free activities alongside our ticketed events, including crafts and a musical playground, providing hands-on access to music-making and creativity!”
What makes Stoller Hall a family-friendly venue?
“We welcome families of all shapes and sizes, inviting young ones and their grown-ups to engage with music and creativity together. We have family ticketing options, including babes-in-arms where children under 2 may attend for free. There is plenty of space for buggies and prams in communal areas as well as secure storage outside our performance spaces during events.
“Located in the city centre and within a short walking distance of train, tram and bus services, many of our families enjoy making the journey into town part of the excitement of their day! Our regular family audiences love our spaces and describe their experience of Stoller Hall as calm, relaxing, and accessible for all ages. Most of our spaces are filled with natural light, and are open and spacious, meaning families can get involved or take time out as needed.
“Our cafe bar provides soft drinks, teas and coffees, in addition to child-friendly snacks for your visit. We are a breastfeeding-friendly venue, or we can find you a private space if you prefer. There are also lots of toilet options including baby changing facilities and mixed gendered individual toilets which work well for smaller family groups.
Saturday 23 May is set to be a day of accessible sensory friendly concerts and experiences. What is on offer on that day, and how these events are SEND-friendly?
“Our regular Stoller Hall families have told us that they feel comfortable bringing children with additional needs to our events, as grown-ups know that their young people are able to ‘engage freely with performers and activities without fear of being disruptive.’ They also say they are supported during their visit, and they know our artists and staff will engage with every member of the family with ‘respect’, ‘thoughtfulness’ and ‘attentiveness.’
“Our families value our efforts in creating an environment which is inclusive, considered, and adapted where possible for young people living with SEND. However, we were aware that we are lacking a specific provision of events and experiences solely dedicated to SEND family audiences.
“Saturday 23 May is a dedicated day of activities and concerts for SEND families. We will be providing young people who may have sensory needs, learning disabilities, communication challenges, or physical disabilities with a range of ticketed and free creative opportunities designed and adapted specifically for them.
“Creative Engagement will be piloting a brand new accessible and sensory friendly musical adventure – Sounds Together! – delivered by experienced storyteller Emily Capstick (Peoplescape Theatre) and musician Sarah Atter (DIY Theatre). The sessions combine live music and storytelling and are designed for families of mixed ages with young people living with SEND. Music in the Round will also be presenting relaxed versions of the The Storm Whale with consistent lighting, reduced sound, anytime exit and re-entry, a break-out space, and relaxed audience expectations. The relaxed concerts will feature an introductory ‘Meet the Musicians’ session introducing audiences to the musicians and their instruments before each concert. Families can also use this introductory time to get comfortable and acclimatise to the concert hall ahead of the concert.
“We are welcoming other Manchester organisations who are utilising their expertise to provide creative sessions specifically for our SEND family audiences. Manchester Camerata will be presenting a free lunchtime SEND Music Cafe where families can discover, play and make music together. We will also welcome Rochdale Town Hall and their Zen-Den building activity which is a popular feature at their own SEND Sunday events.
“Creating safe and inclusive spaces is hugely important to us. Tailoring a day specifically for SEND audiences is a huge step in the right direction towards increasing our opportunities and access provision. We are excited to welcome regular and new SEND audiences across our family festival and hope to continue our learning into how we can improve our offer and continue to make our venue as accessible as possible.”
What makes Stoller Hall an accessible venue?
“Stoller Hall aims to be a venue where everyone can come and experience live music in whatever way works for them. Our staff members are friendly, approachable and trained to be able to assist and support guests during their visit. We were also awarded silver accessibility status by Attitude is Everything in 2023, demonstrating our commitment to making live music more accessible.
“We are located directly opposite Manchester Victoria Train Station with step-free access to our main entrance. We are providing a limited number of pre-booked car parking spaces to provide easier access for those who need to drive into the city centre. “These can be reserved when booking any event on Saturday 23 May or by contacting our box office after booking.
“Stoller Hall has been designed to accommodate audiences who have mobility issues or use mobility aids. Once in the building, many of our events will be taking place on the same level with lifts available to provide access to other spaces when needed. There are a range of accessible toilets available on all levels in addition to break-out and quiet space options as needed.
“The main hall is fitted with a Sennheiser infra-red hearing system which uses a Stethoscope style receiver, which can be collected from the box office when you arrive. Artists facilitating some of our smaller sessions are happy to wear neck loop devices if provided.
“We have an established Access Scheme which allows audiences to request seating for personal assistants, reserve wheelchair spaces, and inform our front of house staff with any additional access requirements ahead of your visit. You can join the scheme by completing this online form or contacting our box office.
“There will be lots of friendly staff on hand to help support your family throughout the day. For more access information please visit Stoller Hall’s Access page. Or, if you have any questions about our upcoming SEND events and your visit, please get in touch via the box office or by emailing joinin@chethams.com.”
What can families look forward to in the future at Stoller Hall?
“We’re excited for the future of our Family Programme! We hope to bring the families of Greater Manchester and beyond more opportunities to experience live music together.
“Coming up, our last Stoller Story Sounds of the season will be taking place on Saturday 20 June. Join Leo the Lion for another musical adventure on Jungle Island with storyteller Faz Shah, illustrator Lizzie Finlay, and musician Gemma Ashcroft.
“From September onwards, keep your eyes peeled for our next season of family performances including Stoller Story Sounds, a Christmas Family Concert, and more!
“After the Family Festival, we hope to grow and develop our pilot SEND programme, Sounds Together, by embedding it into our regular programme and establishing a more consistent offer for our SEND family audience.
“Stoller Hall will keep bringing exciting family-friendly events to our venue. Keep an eye on our website for your next fun day out together!”
Check out the full programme for our Family Festival weekend, happening 23-24 May.
