OneFest brought Mansfield to life over four days of outstanding arts and culture, opening with a special appearance from Vicky McClure's Our Dementia Choir before audiences enjoyed an ambitious programme of cabaret, live music, theatre, comedy and community celebration.

The festival showcased a diverse mix of established and emerging artists, with disabled and neurodivergent artists and companies at the heart of the programme, reinforcing OneFest's growing reputation as the East Midlands' leading destination festival for exceptional disabled and neurodivergent-led work.

Unanima's flagship fringe festival delivered one of its most ambitious and artistically diverse festivals to date, bringing nationally recognised performers, acclaimed disabled-led companies and emerging talent to venues across Mansfield.

Audiences praised both the calibre of the work and the festival's commitment to championing disabled and neurodivergent creativity.

placeholder image — House of Life at OneFest

Following the opening-day celebrations, audiences were treated to an evening of cabaret hosted by OneFest favourite Charity Shop Sue.

The Friday of the event saw hundreds of people gather in the sunshine for the March for More – a vibrant, learning disabled and autistic-led protest calling for visibility, equity and celebration.

The march was followed by Party Under the Arches, bringing people together beneath Mansfield's iconic viaduct for an afternoon of music, performance and community, before the evening concluded with The Gig, celebrating disabled, neurodivergent and non disabled talent.

The weekend continued with theatre, comedy and family-friendly performances that demonstrated the artistic ambition, originality and quality of contemporary disabled and neurodivergent work.

Audiences spoke of the emotional impact of the programme, while visiting artists praised the festival's welcoming and inclusive approach.

Accessibility remained central to the festival, with British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation available at most events, reflecting Unanima's commitment to creating high quality cultural experiences that are accessible to all.

Tracy Radford, chief executive and artistic director of Unanima, said: "When we first imagined OneFest, we wanted to create a festival that showcased the very best disabled and neurodivergent-led work and put Mansfield on the cultural map.

"This year, that vision feels closer than ever.

"The calibre of artists and performances presented across the festival demonstrates that disabled and neurodivergent-led work is some of the most exciting, innovative and high quality being created today.

"OneFest is increasingly becoming a destination for audiences across the East Midlands and beyond, while bringing creativity, pride and opportunity to our local community.

"It's an exciting moment for both Unanima and Mansfield."

With disabled and neurodivergent artists and companies at the heart of its programme, OneFest continues to champion inclusive practice while presenting work of exceptional artistic quality.

Tracy added: “As audiences continue to grow, the festival is helping to establish Mansfield as a destination for exciting arts and culture experiences.

“This year's response suggests that OneFest is becoming more than a festival, it is helping to shape a cultural movement rooted in creativity, inclusion and community, while establishing Mansfield as a destination for outstanding culture.”