How to find us

By Car: The M40, M4 and A34 provide easy access to Oxford from London and the south. The M40 links Birmingham to Oxford from the north. The A420 and A40 approach Oxford from the west.

Parking: We are unable to offer parking for Festival events. If you have access needs, please contact us on 01865 253505 or at info@artsfestivaloxford.org. Parking in Oxford city centre is limited. Visitors are advised to use one of the five Park & Ride systems, which are all clearly signposted from the Oxford Ring Road. The nearest car parkto MCS is at St Clement’s Street, OX4 1AB.

By Bus: Oxford has an extensive network of local buses, making it easy to visit the town centre from every direction. The main Festival site is a short 5-10 minute walk from central bus stops. The closest bus stops are The Plain (Cowley Road) and St Clement’s. There are also fast and frequent bus services from central London (closest stop St Clement’s).

By Train: Oxford has a centrally located train station with frequent and direct train services from London and Reading, as well as from Birmingham via Banbury and Coventry. Oxford Parkway station, north of the city, serves London Marylebone. The main Festival site is a 25-minute walk from the station.

There are frequent buses available from there.

We work hard to make everyone welcome at the Festival. If you have any concerns or particular access issues you would prefer to discuss with us before arranging your visit, please get in touch with us at info@artsfestivaloxford.org. We are happy to make any reasonable adjustments we can to make your visit as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

Festival Venues

  • Christ Church Picture Gallery: Christ Church, St Aldate’s, Oxford OX1 1DP
  • Festival Hall: Magdalen College School, Cowley Place, Oxford OX4 1DZ
  • Magdalen College Chapel: Magdalen College, High Street, Oxford, OX1 4AU
  • Merton College: Merton Street, Oxford OX1 4JD
  • New College Chapel: Holywell Street, Oxford OX1 3BN
  • Old Fire Station: 40 George Street Oxford OX1 2AQ
  • OVADA: 14a Osney Lane OX1 1NJ
  • Pembroke Art Gallery: 5 Brewer Street, Oxford, OX1 1QN
  • Rose Garden: Magdalen College School, Cowley Place, Oxford OX4 1DZ
  • Sheldonian Theatre: Broad St, Oxford OX1 3AZ
  • SJE Arts: St John the Evangelist Church 109A Iffley Road, Oxford, OX4 1EH
  • St Bartholomew’s Chapel: Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 2AJ
  • St John’s College, Oxford OX1 2JP
  • The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church: 1 The Shippen Dr, Beckley, Oxford OX3 9US
  • Weston Library: Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BG

Accessibility

Botantic Gardens

Fully wheelchair accessible.

There is an accessible toilet next to the other toilets. Turn left out of the Conservatory, then left again to reach the toilets. Go through the Iron Gate, and the accessible toilet is about halfway down on your left-hand side. Please take care as the door is on quite a tight spring closure. The toilets will be locked just before the gardens close each evening.

A wheelchair is available for public use, which must be booked in advance.

Festival Hall

Step-free access is available via a temporary ramp in place.

There is an accessible toilet among the temporary toilets stationed in the Rose Garden.

Magdalen College Chapel

The Porter’s Lodge entrance is not accessible.

Find out more about their accessibility information here.

New College Cloisters

The main entrance is on Holywell Street. There is level access from the pavement onto the college site. From here there is a mixture of level and ramped access around the college.

This is an old area of the college and the paving here is uneven and worn in places. There is ramped access from the Front Quad to The Cloisters and the surface is paved. The Cloisters don’t have accessible toilet. The nearest accessible toilet is in the Long Room.

New Theatre Oxford

The New Theatre Oxford main entrance is situated on George Street, with a drop-off point located next to the theatre. All sections of the theatre must be reached by steps, although a customer and wheelchair accessible lift is available to take access patrons down to the Stalls. Venue is not accessible for scooter users. For wheelchair spaces booking, please contact the Theatre in advance. There are accessible toilets in the main foyer and front right-hand Stalls.

Old Fire Station

There are two entrances to the Old Fire Station: 40 George Street via the foyer, and on Gloucester Green via the shop, both are step-free. There is level entry to the foyer of the Old Fire Station, and step-free access to the main Theatre. There is a fully accessible lift to access the auditorium.  Seats can be removed from the theatre for the wheelchair user. There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor, accessible via platform lift.

Oxford Playhouse

There is step-free access to the Playhouse and stalls in the auditorium, and both the box office and bar have a low-level accessible counter.

Find out more about their accessibility information here.

Oxford Town Hall

The main entrance to the Town Hall is in St Aldate’s. Eight steps lead up to the entrance foyer. There is alternative access 28 meters to the north along St Ladet’s. Main Hall and Council Chamber are available without assistance. There are three accessible toilets, on the ground floor, in the council corridor opposite the Lord Mayor’s Parlour and at the rear of the Main Hall.

Pembroke Art Gallery

The art gallery is fully accessible and reached via a long corridor located at the back of The Harold H W Lee Building in the Rokos Quad. There is an accessible toilet located off the main atrium of the Henderson Building, underneath the stairs.

The Pichette Auditorium

The Pichette Auditorium is located on the ground floor The Harold H W Lee Building in the Rokos Quad. There is a flexible seating space for wheelchair users at front of the theatre.  There is an accessible toilet located off the main atrium of the Henderson Building, underneath the stairs.

Rose Garden

Access to the Rose Garden is step free, but the path is compacted gravel.

There is an accessible toilet among the temporary toilets stationed in the Rose Garden.

SJE Arts

There is step-free access to the church (where the concert will be taking place), the Cloister Gallery and the accessible toilet from Iffley Road.

Find out more about their accessibility information here.

The Studio

The studio is accessible via a lift. There is a carpeted ramp with a handrail down to the entrance.

There is an accessible toilet located at Main Reception

University Church of St Mary the Virgin

The main entrance to the Church is step free; the doors can be opened to facilitate ease of access.

There is an accessible toilet at the back of the Church.

Weston Library

The Weston Library is wheelchair accessible. There are accessible toilets located on Levels G, 1, and 3.