For the first time in its eleven-year history, the Utrecht Accessibility Prize (Utrechtse Toegankelijkheidsprijs) has two winners. The gemeente announced on 8 October 2026 that Het Filiaal Theater and Anafora share first prize and its total of €3,000.

According to the gemeente, the winner is decided by a jury and a public vote combined. In eleven years those joint votes had never produced a tie before this one. The result was announced at the annual Accessibility Festival, held during the Week of Accessibility. This year the festival took place at TivoliVredenburg, with sign language interpreters and an accessible programme.

The winners

Het Filiaal Theater makes performances for children, families, schools and special education. The gemeente says accessibility is built into everything the company does: sign language interpreters, facilities for blind and visually impaired visitors, low-stimulus performances for audiences who find loud or busy shows overwhelming, and an accessible website. The gemeente describes the theatre as an example for Utrecht that also inspires theatres elsewhere in the Netherlands and abroad.

Anafora is the foundation behind a park restaurant in Leidsche Rijn that works as a meeting place for residents. The gemeente says it welcomes people regardless of background, income or role, offers free activities, makes room for neighbourhood initiatives and gives opportunities to young people who are far from the labour market. The organisation understands accessibility as more than being reachable: it is about people feeling welcome ("welkom zijn").

The other nominees

Two further nominees received €500 each. Kasteeltuinen De Haar is steadily making its historic gardens and park more accessible. Speeltuin Bankaplein offers adapted play equipment so that children with and without disabilities can play together.

Why it matters for residents

The cash award is modest, but the shared result highlights practices that the jury and public chose to recognise. Alderman for diversity and inclusion Linda Voortman said that "Toegankelijkheid ontstaat niet vanzelf" (accessibility does not happen by itself), and that organisations need to look beyond legal requirements and ask whether everyone can truly take part. She said she hopes the winners and nominees inspire others.

For English-speaking residents and visitors, the practical takeaway is that Utrecht has venues, from children's theatre to a neighbourhood park restaurant and a historic garden, that are actively working to include people with disabilities. The gemeente's announcement does not list ticket prices, performance dates or specific access arrangements per venue, so anyone planning a visit should check with the organisations directly. The prize reflects the organisations' efforts as assessed through the combined jury and public vote; it is not an independent audit of how accessible each venue is.