Ropetackle wins funding to launch its first deaf-friendly film festival
Shoreham’s Ropetackle Arts Centre is proud to announce its selection as one of only three venues nationwide to receive the Disability Representation on Screen sponsorship grant.
Awarded by the British Film Institute and supported by the National Lottery, the grant recognises Ropetackle’s commitment to inclusive cinema. The funding will support a curated film series designed to celebrate deaf culture and improve accessibility for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
Lorna Price, centre manager at Ropetackle, said: “Ropetackle has partnered with SURDI, a Brighton & Hove-based deaf-led organisation to create the film festival. Over several months, Ropetackle and SURDI volunteers have enjoyed British Sign Language (BSL) workshops and collaborative planning sessions to ensure the venue offers a genuinely warm and accessible welcome.
“This project is about more than just putting subtitles on a screen; it’s about breaking down the social and communication barriers that often keep the deaf community away from the arts. By learning BSL phrases and working directly with SURDI, our team is ready to provide an inclusive experience from the moment a visitor walks through our doors.”
Festival schedule:
The Shoreham-by-Sea Film Festival: Deaf Friendly will feature screenings on Mondays at 2pm. Each event includes subtitles, signed and spoken introductions by SURDI and Ropetackle volunteers.
● January 12: Deaf (Sorda) – winner of the Panorama Audience Award for Best Feature.
● February 9: See What I’m Saying – A British premiere, following the lives of four deaf entertainers.
● March 9: Children Of A Lesser God – featuring Marlee Matlin’s historic Oscar-winning performance.
Event Details
● Location: Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham-by-Sea.
● Tickets: £5 for the general public; free admission for carers.
● Accessibility: film shown with subtitles and BSL interpreter available.
“Ropetackle invites the entire community—both deaf, hearing and in–between, to support this milestone in local arts and enjoy world-class cinema in an environment built for everyone.”
Surdi CIC is a deaf-led organisation based in Brighton & Hove. Its aim is to transform the perception of deafness and BSL (British Sign Language) culture within Brighton & Hove and surrounding areas. Its mission is to foster inclusivity and encourage the integration of deaf individuals from Sussex into society. Contact: [email protected]
Spokesman Darren Jensen said: “Surdi has been established since 2015 and became a CIC in December 2016. Surdi CIC was formed in Brighton and Hove due to the lack of support and opportunities for deaf people in the community.
“We strongly believe in a deaf-centred approach and our aim is to ensure deaf, deafened, deafblind and hard of hearing individuals have equal access in all aspects of their daily life. “We aim to change Sussex communities’ perspective on deafness and BSL culture to encourage deaf people in Sussex and the surrounding areas to integrate with society. Surdi would like to make sure services offered to deaf people are what they want, matching their individual needs both short and long term. We are currently collaborating with Brighton & Hove City Council and Sussex Police.”