Liverpool is set to make history from 2-8 May 2027 as it hosts a new groundbreaking Inclusive Sport & Culture Festival (ISCF) – a first-of-its-kind event in the UK that will bring together elite athletes that compete in the Paralympics and a world class disabled-led arts and culture programme on a shared world stage.
Taking over the city’s iconic waterfront – including the M&S Bank Arena and Exhibition Centre Liverpool in the Liverpool Experience Campus, the neighbouring Salthouse and Albert Docks, and Pier Head – the week-long festival will transform the city into a vibrant hub of energy, creativity and elite performance, redefining how sport and culture can be experienced together.
The UK Sport-owned concept will showcase four international sport competitions across Boccia, Para Athletics, Wheelchair Rugby and Paracanoe, delivered in partnership with Boccia UK, UK Athletics, Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby and Paddle UK, alongside a groundbreaking arts and cultural programme, commissioned by Arts Council England, delivered by Culture Liverpool and led by deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists.
The four sports at the heart of the festival will each bring their own extraordinary spectacle. Wheelchair Rugby – fast, physical and high-impact – will take centre stage at the M&S Bank Arena from Sunday 2 to Friday 7 May, with six international teams competing in what promises to be an electric atmosphere.
The highly tactical and precision-based World Boccia Cup, which counts towards Paralympic qualification, will be held at the Exhibition Centre Liverpool from Monday 3 to Friday 7 May.
Paracanoe comes to Salthouse Dock on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 May, offering free-to-view racing that combines speed, control and technical skill against the backdrop of Liverpool’s iconic waterfront.
And on Saturday 8 May, Para Athletics – the largest sport in the Paralympics – will take over Liverpool Waterfront, including Pier Head, for a free open-air celebration of sprinting, jumping and throwing at the highest level of the sport.
At the heart of the festival will be a dynamic Athletes’ and Artists’ Village – a living, breathing space where competitors, creators and audiences come together. It will be more than a venue hub; it will be a shared community celebrating excellence, identity and connection throughout the week.
Taking place just ahead of the LA 2028 Paralympic Games, the Festival will also play a vital role in athlete preparation while elevating the visibility of disabled talent across sport and culture onto a global stage. It will shine a spotlight not only on elite and world class performance, but on the stories, creativity and cultural impact that surround it.
At its core, the festival is designed to bring sport and culture together as one experience – creating a powerful shared platform that celebrates excellence, creativity and representation for artists and athletes, while driving greater opportunity and long-term social impact. Core funding includes a £2.3m contribution from the National Lottery and a £1m grant from Arts Council England.
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