Sightless Cinema

Sightless Cinema provides opportunities for blind and people with sight loss to participate in collaborative audio theatre projects with professional theatre artists. We produce and present original programmes of recorded and live audio theatre in professional public venues (theatres and cinemas). Sightless Cinema promotes active participation and access to arts infrastructure for people with disabilities.

Artistic Director Ciarán Taylor and other artists lead weekly creative theatre workshops with the participants, where they develop stories from both autobiographical and fictional inspiration. They learn to create vocal characters and use foley and recorded sound effects. They then record finished pieces with professional sound designers/technicians, and also rehearse live audio performances.  These are then presented in listening events for live audiences in partner venues on an annual multi-date theatre tour, where blind and sighted share a theatre experience without need for mediation. The sighted audience are invited to wear blindfolds, which enhances the experience. 

Partner venues include The Civic Theatre Tallaght; Solstice Arts Centre, Navan; Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise and Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge.    

Partner Funders to date include The Arts Offices of South County Dublin, Laois County Council, Meath County Council and Kildare County Council, The Arts Council and Creative Ireland.  We are also supported in kind by Vision Ireland (formally NCBI).

Rethink Ireland is also investing in Sightless Cinema’s growth in 2025-2026.

We have formally registered the company and will apply for Charitable status in due course. We are developing plans for a sustainable model for further consolidation/expansion of the Network. Further public funding, business sponsorships and philanthropic donations will be sought to secure future years activities. 

Sightless Cinema mission and goals are managed and driven by the Artistic Director and staff and we collaborate with many cultural partners.

Sightless Cinema is dedicated to engaging people with sight loss in collaborative creation and presentation of high-quality audio theatre. It is an artist led, socially engaged project. We support participation, engagement and access to this programme for blind and visually impaired participants and audience members. We aim to promote models for active access to arts for those with disabilities. Participants contribute to the cultural life of their local and national communities. This in turn promotes better inclusion and wellbeing in the community.

Sightless Cinema Links

RTE TV Documentary Sightless Cinema aired in August 2025 https://www.rte.ie/player/movie/sightless-cinema/695375912412

IMRO award winning Radio Documentary Are You Blind or What? : https://www.midlands103.com/podcasts/are-you-blind-or-what/

‘In the Dark’ live performance documentary 2022: https://youtu.be/CEjdzeT2sEQ

Sightless Cinema Navan performance reviewed in Meath Chronicle January 2023. https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2023/01/30/review-sightless-cinema-performed-live-at-the-solstice/

‘Ballymuck Exchange’ recorded online, and presented at live listening event Civic Theatre 2021 Ballymuck Exchange -https://open.spotify.com/episode/54ET1mOKFvvyyJuAAFMGMw

Bag of Chips; (2018) comedy 7 minutes first presented at public event IMC Cinema Tallaght.  https://soundcloud.com/user-758416450/bag-of-chip