Access at Undershed

We want to be as welcoming, inclusive and accessible as we can be at Undershed. Here you can find information about visiting the gallery during the exhibition.

Impulse: Playing with Reality is a three-part mixed-reality experience using a Meta Quest 3 VR headset, and hand controls. The experience features bright lights and dark themes. It is chaotic and creative.  The game represents some of the feelings and experiences associated with ADHD, including overwhelm. The narrative stories are documentary tales from people with ADHD. It is designed for people who may be interested to understand ADHD, or who are interested in the representation of ADHD in an art and games. 

• Impulse: Playing with Reality is suitable for audiences aged 12 and over. Anyone aged under 16 must be accompanied by an adult/guardian.  

• This experience contains flashing lights; mentions of suicide, violence and vertigo, suicidal thoughts and self-harm. 

• This experience is not suitable for individuals with photosensitive epilepsy. 

• The environment of the gallery space will be lit by coloured light and we have a reflection area if the experience becomes overstimulating. 

Visiting Undershed

• Watershed's main entrance (which leads to Undershed's entrance, just to the right of the Box Office desk) is on the ground floor and accessible via a ramped, electronically assisted entrance door. 

• The entrance to Undershed is ramped and you enter the exhibition space through a curtain. We have worked with access consultants to create environmental elements like signage, manoeuvrability and lighting which are appropriate for some visitors with access needs. Where these can be improved, please let us know. 

• There is seating available - a sofa in the welcome area, and seating in the main exhibition space. 

• Visitors are welcome to take a break at any time, but please note that we must finish your session on time so this if you take a break you might not comple the experience. 

• Undershed Gallery Assistants (GAs) are always available in both areas if you want to chat about your experience. 

• You are welcome to use any of the toilet facilities in Watershed then come back into the space.  

• The installation is designed to be as accessible as possible for wheelchair users. 

• Impulse: Playing with Reality is not accessible to blind or partially sighted people, as there is no audio description available, and the game relies on sight to move elements inside the virtual space. 

• There are captions available for Deaf and hard of hearing audiences. Please ask the Gallery Aassistant if you would like these activated. 

• The experience can work for those who would prefer/need to be seated. Please ask the Gallery Assistant and they will set this up for you. 

• There are no dedicated relaxed visits available for Impulse: Playing with Reality, this is because the experience is a single person experience. Our Gallery Assistants can help you to alter the brightness of the experience if you find it too bright or dark and they can also help you to set a comfortable audio volume if you feel the experience is too loud or quiet. 

• There are also no dedicated Masked and Socially Distanced slots for Impulse: Playing with Reality again because the experience is a single person experience and the brightness and volume can be changed in the Quest 3 VR headset to suit sensitivities and each participant is in a specific section of the gallery that is distanced from other visitors.

• You are very welcome to wear a mask but we’re unable to guarantee that other visitors or staff will be wearing them too.

• If you would like a tour to familiarise yourself with the environment, then please contact us to arrange this. Undershed@watershed.co.uk  

To keep up to date about Watershed's accessible events please sign up to our Accessible Mailing List. You can also let us know about your access requirements by signing up to our Access Register.  Companion tickets are available for those who require them. 

If we can do anything to make your visit to Undershed easier, please get in touch with us we'll be happy to help. 

 If you would like a tour to familiarise yourself with the environment, then please contact us to arrange this. Undershed@watershed.co.uk 

More information and feedback

If you have any feedback or require any support to visit Undershed, please contact us. Email us or phone Box Office on 0117 927 5100 and one of the team will be able to help.

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