We strive to make BiCon 2023 as inclusive as possible and have worked proactively to continue to improve upon past BiCons. We want everyone who wants to come to BiCon 2023 to feel comfortable and safe attending, regardless of their situation and background.
Financial Access
The Access Fund is available for attendees who require financial support (for any reason) to attend BiCon 2023. These needs and how much of the fund will be allocated will be assessed on an individual case-by-case basis. Typically we can offer discounted ticket prices, help towards accessibility needs costs and free day tickets for personal assistants or carers.
If you can afford it, please consider donating to the Access Fund when booking your ticket!
Disability Access
From last year’s feedback, 66% of respondents indicated that they consider themselves to be disabled in some way.
This year’s team of organisers is largely neurodiverse with some members living with long term physical health conditions, complex mental health difficulties and other disabilities.
To help make BiCon as disability friendly as we can we have selected a modern venue with excellent access facilities where all of the daytime sessions will be held in the same building and there will be some accessible rooms within our on-site accommodation.
Our accommodation has 34 ground floor flats and unfortunately only 2 fully wheelchair accessible rooms. If you require an accessible room but these have already been allocated, you may wish to use the Access Fund for help towards costs of alternative accommodation.
Free or subsidised tickets are available for carers, interpreters and and personal assistants.
We have also put together a detailed Access Report which can be found here. (Accommodation access details will be available very soon).
Our timetable will state how many spoons each session may need (according to the session runner) to help people to plan their day/pace themselves.
If you have any additional needs or concerns regarding disability access, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Anti-Racism Training
This year, Anti-Racism Training will be mandatory for all BiCon attendees. Details of options for how to complete this will be released soon.
Based on issues raised during previous BiCons, the community considers this ongoing training to be extremely valuable. Ticket holders who refuse to engage with it will be refunded and asked not to attend.
Children & Parents at BiCon
BiCon 2023 is an all ages event. If you want to bring children to BiCon and especially if you intend to use our on-site accommodation, please contact the team at bookings.bicon2023@gmail.com AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to discuss your needs and how to buy tickets. Ticket prices and accommodation details can be found towards the bottom of this page.
As requested by the venue, there will be a strict cut-off date for bookings involving children so that all the relevant safeguarding needs are met. This will be 25th June 2023 and is not negotiable.
We are unable to provide childcare at BiCon 2023. As a substitute, this year’s timetable should include a room running an all ages, family friendly session in each slot throughout the daytime.
As per our safeguarding policy, children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or other guardian over 18 at all times. Those aged 16-17 are allowed to walk about the Newton Building unsupervised and to attend sessions by themselves except those where the content is strictly 18+ (these sessions will be clearly marked in the programme). Some of the content in other sessions may still be intended for a more mature audience – it is up to you to consider if the subject matter is appropriate for your child.
There are baby changing facilities located on both floors where our daytime sessions will be running.
Children will not be permitted in the bar area in the evenings.
Tickets for Under 18s and Safeguarding
- If a child is young enough to be able to share a bed with their parent, there will be no charge for accommodation for the child (the parent should pay whichever price band they would normally pay to attend BiCon with accommodation).
- If a child requires their own room (which will be within the same flat as their parent or guardian), the price is how much it costs BiCon for the room. This year this is £110 for the weekend.
- Daytime tickets for under 16s are free as they must be accompanied to all sessions and supervised at all times by their parent or guardian when within the Newton Building.
- Daytime tickets for children aged 16-17 (e.g. college students) are 20% off the lowest price band as they will not be able to attend sessions that are 18+ or access the evening entertainment venue. This is £20 for one day or £40 the weekend.
- Under 18s cannot use/be left alone in the on-site accommodation without a responsible adult. This is the venue’s policy and part of BiCon’s safeguarding policy.
- 16-17 year olds cannot use or buy tickets for the on-site accommodation unless they are attending BiCon 2023 with a parent or guardian.
- Weekend residential tickets for 16-17 year olds attending BiCon 2023 with a parent or guardian are £150. This covers £110 for a room and £40 for a weekend daytime ticket.