Ants at Fed Square

Venue

The Atrium, Fed Square
Corner of Swanston St & Flinders St
Melbourne VIC 3000

Google Maps link here

Saturday 11 April – Test Garden Open Day

• 10.30am
• 11.30am
• 1.30pm
• 2.30pm

Learn more: fedsquare.com/events/test-garden-open-day-critter-heroes

Sunday 12 April

• 10am
• 11am
• 1pm
• 2pm

Learn more: fedsquare.com/events/ants-by-polyglot-theatre

• Ants will take place on the Edge Terrace on Saturday 11 April, and in The Atrium on Sunday 12 April.
• The Edge has lift access and is wheelchair accessible. Arrangements can also be made to enter from the Fed Square Car Park.
• The Atrium is wheelchair accessible, with Flinders Street offering the best point of entry.
• Accessible toilets are located in The Atrium, next to IceBar.
• A registered Changing Places bathroom is available in The Atrium. This provides suitable facilities for people who cannot use standard accessible toilets. It is located off the same corridor as the other Atrium toilets. This corridor is open 7 days a week, 6am-11.30pm. Access to the Changing Places bathroom is via MLAK key or by calling security on the intercom at the end of the corridor.
• An All-Gender Toilet with open urinals can be found in The Atrium, down the hallway by the stairs.
• Seeing-eye dogs are welcome at Fed Square.
• A Prayer Room is located in The Atrium, down the hallway by the stairs. The intercom located next to the door will contact the security team who can then unlock the door for you.
• The undulating surface of the Main Square is made up of sandstone cobblestones, with a marked access path.
• For more information and a map, please visit fedsquare.com/accessibility
• If you have any questions about venue accessibility, please contact Fed Square on 03 9655 1900 or info@fedsquare.com.
• A Visual Story to help your family prepare for Ants is available for viewing/download HERE.

Ants

• Ants is a universally accessible experience. The performers do not use spoken language – there is no English language barrier.
• You and your family can choose how you engage with the performers and the space, moving around as you like.
• Ants contains amplified sound that is played through portable speakers.
• You can come and go from the performances at any time.
• Polyglot Theatre staff and artists are trained in disability and cultural awareness. If you have any questions about Ants, please contact us on 03 9826 3301 or info@polyglot.org.au

How to prepare

• When you come to a Polyglot show we recommend you wear comfortable clothing that allows you to enjoy moving. Remember that you have come for an adventure and there are many ways to begin finding your play. You are curious and this space is yours. Just as you might at the beach, do you take your time and dip your toe in to warm up, or do you run and jump right in? The worlds we set up welcome you to take your time and find your own way to your imaginative play; and our performers are there to join you, or play alongside you, and look after these worlds and their inhabitants.

• There are baby change facilities located in The Atrium next to IceBar, and in the Main Square, next to Time Out Café. These are accessible by parents and carers of any gender.
• Water, infants’ bottles and breastfeeding/chestfeeding are welcome, however we do ask that there is no eating (where possible) in the Ants performance spaces.
• Refreshments can be purchased from multiple cafes, bars and shops at Fed Square. For more information, please visit fedsquare.com/eat-drink
• Fed Square has multiple water refill stations: Atrium entrance in front of Beer Deluxe; rear of the Square next to Mabu Mabu; top of the stairs on Swanston Street Forecourt; along River Terrace.
• The closest playground is located next to the ArtPlay building in Birrarung Marr, along the Yarra River.

Parking

• The multi-level Fed Square Car Park is accessible from Russell Street or Batman Ave (Exhibition Street extension – City Link). It is open 24hrs and has accessible spaces located next to the lift on each level.
• The height restriction for vehicles is 2.1 metres. Should your vehicle exceed this accessible height car park then please contact Fed Square on (03) 9655 1900 and they will assist in providing an alternative arrangement.
• Weekend parking rates from $20.
• Learn more and book: wilsonparking.com.au

Public Transport

• The nearest train station is Flinders Street(Stop ID 19854, Zone 1), which is approximately 52m from Fed Square. Station facilities include: Facilities include: pay phone, sheltered waiting area, Passenger Information Display, Traveller’s Aid, accessible toilets, taxi rank, CCTV, lighting, escalator, Hearing Loop, lift, stairs, Tactile Ground Surface Indicator, accessible telephone.
• The nearest tram stop is Federation Square/Swanston St #13(Stop ID 19499). It is a level access stop, but not all routes that use this stop are currently serviced by low-floor trams. Facilities include: payphone, lighting, Tactile Ground Surface Indicator, accessible ramp.

Bicycle

• Bike racks are located: between Transport Bar and Princes Bridge on Swanston Street Forecourt; at the rear of the Square along River Terrace.

For thousands of years, the land around Birrarung (the Yarra River) has been Melbourne’s meeting place – an area of cultural significance for First Peoples and a place of creative expression. Today the site is home to the Melbourne Arts Precinct; a vibrant creative community and the artistic heart of our city.

Fed Square is the gateway to the art precinct – and as Melbourne’s public square it is the civic, cultural and community heart of the city. It also home to three of Victoria’s major cultural institutions: ACMI – Australia’s Museum of Screen Culture, the Koorie Heritage Trust (KHT) and The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia.

Located opposite the iconic Flinders St Station, Fed Square is also Melbourne’s premier meeting place, tourist destination and event venue for thousands of events a year – since opening in 2002, it has seen more than 100 million visits.

In 2019, Fed Square was listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, the youngest building in Australia to ever be recognised in this way.

fedsquare.com