The Big Thing is a multi-day event bringing together the immersive arts community across the UK to connect, collaborate and get inspired.

Across the event you’ll be able to meet other creatives alongside researchers, technologists, journalists and representatives from galleries, theatres, arts organisations, agencies and community groups. The programme is open to everyone, from those newly curious about immersive arts to artists and practitioners already working in the field.

The Big Thing features inspiring  talks, conversations and installations – drawing on brilliant ideas and lived experience – alongside hands-on workshops introducing new technologies, innovative exhibitions and weirdly wonderful performances. Now in its second year,  it will animate and engage people from across the creative industries,  growing new partnerships and strengthening the ties across creative practices.

Full details will be published when we launch the full programme in July.

The Big Thing will take place between Wednesday 9 and Friday 11 September 2026.  Kicking off with a warm-up event on the evening of Wednesday 9 September, and main activity taking place on Thursday 10 and Friday 11 September.

Passes can be purchased directly from our ticket page on: EVENTIVE

In order to purchase a pass you will be required to register for an Eventive account. This account will allow you to save a schedule and book on to limited capacity sessions. 

There are two ticket tiers on offer to minimise financial barriers to attending, The Full Pass and Reduced Rate Pass. Both passes give equal access to all sessions and workshops over 3 days. The Big Thing is a non-profit event, all income raised through pass sales will go directly back into the event and support others to attend.

The Full Pass

For individuals and organisations who have the means to pay the standard rate, helping to sustain The Big Thing and keep it accessible.

Regular: £140

Early Bird: £100

(Early bird sale ends Sunday 19 July)

The Reduced Rate Pass

For individuals on a lower income who might not otherwise be able to attend.

Regular: £60

Early Bird: £50

(Early bird sale ends Sunday 19 July)

We are unable to offer refunds, but you can transfer a pass you have purchased to someone else through your Eventive account. To do so please follow the instructions below:

1. Log in to your Eventive account
2. Click on My Passes from the menu
3. Click the ‘Manage’ button next to the pass you’d like to transfer, then click Transfer pass
4. Enter the recipient’s email address and click Submit
5. The recipient will receive an email containing a link allowing them to either add the pass to their existing Eventive account or to create a new account if they don’t already have one
6. Once the recipient has accepted the pass via email, the pass will have transferred successfully

For lunches and hot drinks, food trucks serving a range of dishes including vegan and vegetarian options will be available to purchase.

When purchasing your pass, please complete the form noting down any dietary requirements so we can cater for you. Food menus will list allergens.

There will be receptions and social events during The Big Thing where there will be alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be served or available to purchase.

There are also a large number of cafes and restaurants to eat across Llandudno.

There will be a number of bursaries available to support artists to attend The Big Thing, where the cost of travel, accommodation and a pass is a barrier to attending. 

Find out more and apply by Friday 24 July by 18:00 using this link.

Bursary Tiers

There are three tiers of bursary available, with a limited number of each:

• £400 (5 available)
• £250 (20 available)
• £150 (20 available)

The bursary is intended to be a contribution towards the costs incurred to attend The Big Thing. A free pass to the event is included for every person who is awarded a bursary. Individuals should choose the level that will enable them to attend. Immersive Arts cannot provide advice to applicants.

Selection process

Bursaries are limited and we may not be able to meet the full demand. If we receive more applications than bursaries are available, Immersive Arts will select recipients at random. Applicants may only apply for one bursary tier. Applications for multiple tiers from the same applicant will be removed from the ballot. If an applicant is awarded a bursary and does not attend The Big Thing, they may be required to repay the full amount.

Applicants will be notified on Wednesday 29 July by 18:00.

 If unsuccessful, the notification will come with a link to access passes at a reduced rate (£50 early bird rate).

Two railway stations are close to the main venues: Llandudno (12 minute walk to Venue Cymru) and Llandudno Junction (10 minute taxi to Venue Cymru) and both connect to many locations including Cardiff, Manchester and London. Trains operate between the 2 stations at varying intervals throughout the day and a journey takes around 10 minutes.

If you are exiting Llandudno station, take a left and follow Vaughan Street, continue to merge onto Mostyn Broadway. From here, continue down Mostyn Broadway and Venue Cymru will be on your left-hand side, just past Llandudno Swimming Centre.

Train times, fares and station information can be obtained from: 

• National Rail: www.nationalrail.co.uk / 03457 48 49 50
• Trainline: www.thetrainline.com
• You can also check the real time status of your journey at www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/indicator.aspx

Further information about Llandudno Junction station and Llandudno station is available on the National Rail website. This includes information about accessibility.

Venue Cymru is 4 miles away from the A55 and takes approximately 8 minutes by car, giving access from all over the North West and beyond via M62/M56. From Junction 19 of the A55, follow signs for Llandudno and take the A470 (Royal Welsh Way), from there follow the brown road signs marked Venue Cymru. Venue Cymru. Post Code: LL30 1BB.

Parking Options

Conwy County Borough Council operates a Pay and Display car park at the rear of Venue Cymru, with designated disabled parking bays to the left of the main entrance.  Space in the car park cannot be guaranteed during busy periods. Please ensure you leave plenty of time to travel and park and see below for information about alternative parking options where necessary.

Venue Cymru Pay & Display Tariff

2 Hours: £3

4 Hours: £5

6 hours: £6

10 Hours: £9

24 Hours: £14.50

Please note there is no longer an overnight tariff. Blue badge holders must pay unless parked in a marked disabled bay.

*Prices subject to change. Please check parking signage on arrival.

You can pay for parking using cash, card or by using the PayByPhone parking app. You can download the app here – https://paybyphone.co.uk. If you use this app you must have an account and the car park number is 804457.

Promenade Parking – Pay & Display

Payable 10:00 – 16:00

Summer: 1 May – 30 September 

4 Hours: £5.50

Over 4 Hours: £7.50

Winter: 1 October – 30 April

Up to 2 hours: £2.40

4 Hours: £3.80

Over 4 Hours: £5.40

Blue badge holders: Free of charge | Motor Caravans prohibited between 11pm – 8am

*Prices subject to change.

Additional Llandudno Pay and Display car parks can be found here.

There is a dropping off point at the main entrance with plenty of room to disembark safely.

In the car park at the rear of the building (Mostyn Broadway) there are 18 designated disabled parking spaces; parking is free for disabled badge holders within these spaces.

A map of Llandudno town centre that shows where further disabled parking is located can be found here.

Important Tips for Blue Badge Holders – On-Street Parking: You may park for free in designated disabled bays without time limit unless signs state otherwise.

There are 2 regional airports closest to Llandudno: 

• Manchester (MAN) is 76.3 miles and can be reached by multiple trains and takes around 2 hours. 
• Liverpool (LPL) is 59.5 miles and involves multiple trains and buses and takes just under 3 hours. 

You can plan your journey and book tickets via the National Rail Journey Planner and on Trainline’s Website.

Several bus services pass right outside the rear of Venue Cymru (infront of the car park):

• 12 – Rhyl Bus Station – Regular service running approx every 10 minutes, Monday-Saturday. Limited service on Sunday.
• 5 / X5 – Bangor – Regular services running approx every 20 minutes until 6pm, then approx every 60 minutes, Monday-Saturday. Limited service on Sunday.
• X1 – Blaenau Ffestiniog – via Llanwrst & Betws-y-Coed – Regular service running approx every 60 minutes, Monday-Saturday. Sunday service running at approx every 3 hours.

Find out more information on Llandudno bus services

There are no direct coaches to Llandudno but you can get a coach to Liverpool or Manchester and then a train from there.

Several local taxi firms are available. A taxi from Llandudno Junction station typically costs £8-£12. Castle Cabs have wheelchair accessible vehicles.

Castle Cabs

• 4-8 seater cabs, operates 7am until late, wheelchair accessible vehicles, airport transfers.
• 01492 593398  |  info@castlecabsconwy.co.uk  |  www.castlecabsconwy.co.uk

Alliance & Interlink Taxis

• 4-8 seater cabs, 24/7 service.
• 01492 878787  |  01492 860033

Sun Valley Taxis

• 4-6 seater cabs, 24/7 service, airport transfers.
• 01492 354901  |  07700 900 253

Rogers Taxis

• 4-6 seater cabs, operates 6am until late.
• 01492 572224 |  rogerstaxis1@gmail.com

There are designated bicycle racks located outside Venue Cymru for visitors. The racks are situated near the main entrance, adjacent to the promenade.

The Big Thing will take place in Llandudno, North Wales, UK. The main venue for The Big Thing will be:

Venue Cymru

The Promenade

Penrhyn Cres

Llandudno

LL30 1BB

Venue Cymru is a large theatre and event venue on the seafront of Llandudno Bay. This will host the majority of talks, workshops and other activities on 10 and 11 September. Accessible toilets are available on all levels. Some information on accessibility is listed on Venue Cymru’s website.

The sailing club is adjacent to Venue Cymru. There will be food trucks and seating available for event attendees in their outside space. Toilets and indoor seating are available next door in Venue Cymru.

Club 147 is a bar and night club in the town centre, just off the main street, Mostyn Street. It will host evening and late night social activities. There is a sloped ramp from the road down to the entrance. The venue is step-free, ground. Accessible toilet (without an alarm). 

This Victorian-built pier is at the North end of the promenade and is 700m long, with toilets, bars, a cafe, stands and arcades along it. It will host evening social activities. It is step-free. Dogs are welcome on the pier. Accessible toilet (without an alarm). 

The Assembly Hall is in Llandudno Town Hall and is just off the main street. It is on the ground floor. It is entirely step-free and has power-assisted doors. There are two Accessible toilets. 

Providero is at the North end of the main street. The building is divided into two sections: ProvStretcher is on the left and the cafe is on the right. Both spaces are step-free and on the ground floor. There is an accessible toilet (without an alarm) for both spaces and is accessed through the cafe. ProvStretcher is an open space, with a high ceiling.

Langtry’s Bar is at the base of the Grand Hotel, which sits at the North end of the promenade. The bar opens out onto the pier. Langtry’s Bar will host evening social activities.

There are a number of hotels and holiday rentals across Llandudno and within walking distance of Venue Cymru and the other event venues. Booking early is advised as it is a popular seaside location and rooms are likely to fill up fast.

The following hotels have a limited number of ringfenced rooms available for guests to book. For more information on rooms and to book please contact the hotel directly and say you are attending ‘The Big Thing’. We recommend booking early as any unbooked rooms will be released by the dates below.

• The Belmont
  • Phone: 01492 499600
  • Email: sophie@llandudno-bay-hotel.co.uk
  • Rates: £140 per night

• Llandudno Bay Hotel
• Phone: 01492 499500
• Email: liam@everbrightgroup.co.uk
• Rates: £90+ per night

• St George’s Hotel
• Phone: 01492 877544
• Email: reservations@stgeorgeswales.co.uk
• Rates:  Between £119 – £165 per night

• The Esplanade (accessible rooms available)
• Phone: 01492 860300
• Email: reception@esplanadellandudno.com
• Rates: Between £67 to £131

• The Elm Tree
  • Phone: 01492 339871
  • Email: info@elmtreehotel.co.uk
  • Rates: between £135 – £210 per night

Hotels in the area with availability below:

• The Merrion (limited number of wheelchair accessible rooms available)
• The Empire (limited number of wheelchair accessible rooms available)
• Hotel No5
• The Seafront Hotel
• Premier Inn
• Min Y Don Guest House
• The Central Hotel
• The Broadway Hotel
• The Marine Hotel
• The Grafton Hotel
• The Trevone
• Bella Vista Hotel
• Gwesty Links
• Beachside Guesthouse
• The Wildings Hotel
• Mostyn House
• The Imperial Hotel

If you require an accessible room and are having issues booking one, please get in touch with us at info@xolabs.co.uk.

This section contains access information relating to Llandudno and the venues we are using, as well as the access provisions we are putting in place for our events. Our  aim is to make The Big Thing as accessible as we can.

Please read the information below and If you have access requirements that are not covered, we will provide additional support for attendees who make access requests in advance where possible. We are not able to cover costs for personal or social care support.

When you buy a pass you can tell us your access requirements in the registration form. Please let us know this information by Monday 10 August 2026 to give us enough time to meet requirements. 

When registering or purchasing a pass, you will be asked to write your access requirements in “Access requirements” section of the registration form. This allows us to plan and accommodate these needs. Delegates can share more information about their access needs by contacting us by Monday 10 August. The contact details are available in the confirmation email once delegates have purchased or registered their pass.

Access provisions for each session will be indicated within the full programme, that will be available after its launch in the week beginning 6 July.

Please review the Access information below, as well as the sections including Getting Here, Venues, and Accommodation, to get more understanding of what to expect from your visit to Llandudno and from the event.

Delegates can bring a support worker, PA or carer who will receive a free Support Worker Pass with which they can attend the whole programme including the standard meal/drink provisions. The request for a Support Worker Pass can be made when registering or purchasing a pass within the “Access requirements” section of the registration. Delegates will then be contacted for additional information in order to register the Support Worker Pass.

The closest Changing Places toilets (toilets that are larger than standard accessible toilets) to the core venues are below and more details of where to find them can be found here.

• Venue Cymru
• Llandudno Railway Station (12 minute walk from Venue Cymru)

A dedicated Access Coordinator will be available at Venue Cymru on 9, 10 & 11 September. Staff will be available to support and guide delegates between train stations, venues, drop-off points, or nearby hotels. Please request this support in advance by Monday 10 August.

All public areas and conference rooms at Venue Cymru are fully accessible for Wheelchair users. In the Auditorium and other performance areas, there are wheelchair spaces at Stalls level.  Please let us know if you intend to bring a motorised scooter by Monday 10 August as we will need to factor this into room capacities. A very limited number of wheelchairs are available to hire to access the venue, these must be booked ahead of arrival, so please contact info@xolabs.co.uk

Trained assistance dogs are welcome at Venue Cymru.  Please contact info@xolabs.co.uk so that the venue can then allocate the most appropriate seating for you. Water can be provided for dogs. Staff will be able to sit with dogs for limited periods of time if required, please ask the Access Coordinator for this at the venue.

If a delegate has a dog allergy, they should let us know in the access requirements form when buying their pass. We can then take reasonable steps to ensure that person has minimal or no contact with dogs by ensuring areas of the venue remain dog free.

There will be limited printed material for the event, but alternative formats can be produced on request, including large print, audio, braille and easy read. The deadline for requesting alternative formats is Monday 10 August.

There will be scrolling presentations shown at various points throughout the event, including with video and audio. Speech-to-text-reporting (STTR) captions will be displayed for all sessions on Wednesday 10 & Thursday 11 September.All presenters will be asked to audio describe images used and to summarise visual content of video material used.

There will be a relaxed attitude to noise and movement within the event and people are free to come and go in all sessions as they wish. Lighting will be kept on low in the rooms to allow for easy movement and sound during presentations will be kept at a comfortable level.

During evening performances there may be lighting effects and loud noise which will be indicated within the schedule item.

A rest space will be available throughout the event. This is a space to take time out from the event and there will be equipment to help you relax, including eye masks, noise cancelling headphones, blankets, fidget toys, and more. The rest space will have a variety of options to sit or lay down.

BSL interpretation will be provided if attendees specifically request this service. The deadline for guaranteeing a BSL interpreter is Monday 10 August. If a request is made after that date, we will do our best to secure an interpreter but cannot guarantee it.

Speech-to-text-reporting (STTR) captions will be displayed for all talks and workshops that involve presentations. Access provisions for each session will be indicated in the full programme on the Eventive platform.

Venue Cymru uses Sennheiser MobileConnect in the Auditorium, which allows users to listen to a live feed of stage performances via headphones, a neck loop or compatible hearing aids from anywhere within the auditorium. This system operates on WiFi and can connect to your smart device or a ready-configured device provided by Venue Cymru. For detailed setup instructions for Sennheiser MobileConnect, please refer to the linked page. For activities in the other rooms, Infra Red headsets, neck loops or induction loops can be borrowed from the venue. Please contact events@immersivearts.uk to arrange this with the Venue Cymru team. 

In other venues, a temporary hearing loop system can be provided for some sessions. Requests for this should be made by Monday 10 August.