ENJOYMENT IS FOR EVERYONE
Navigating life with a disability, visible or not, is a reality many individuals face daily. As our community continues to thrive with events ranging from massive gatherings of up to 20,000 people to intimate weekend clubs, it’s crucial to address the barriers encountered by the Black disabled community.
Promoters and live music goers all have a vital part to play in ensuring everyone enjoys these events. This week, we spotlight these challenges and offer guidance on how promoters can foster an inclusive environment.
We’ve all felt the thrill of spotting an event we want to attend, followed by the frustration of tickets selling out in seconds. For most, buying a ticket is a quick, spontaneous decision. But for disabled people, the process is much more complex. The short window between event announcements and ticket releases often isn't enough to arrange necessary support, assess venue accessibility, and request reasonable adjustments, especially when tickets sell out fast. This added layer of complexity can be exhausting, especially when information about accessibility is scarce or contacting promoters proves difficult.
To delve deeper into this issue, we spoke with Hillary from Attitude is Everything, a charity dedicated to improving accessibility at live music events. Attitude is Everything advocates for the improving accessibility at venues and festivals for disabled audience members to be able to enjoy live music, whilst also supporting disabled artists and professionals.
Hillary shared valuable insights, highlighting initiatives that make a significant difference. For instance, UK’s Pxssy Palace, one of the largest POC queer events, recognises the need for quiet spaces where individuals can relax and rejoin the festivities at their own pace. This ensures those who might feel overwhelmed have a safe space, supporting their need to temporarily withdraw without missing out on the overall experience. This can mean just having an area with chairs or a place for stimming if overwhelmed.
Grassroot venues, often the first step for young music lovers, face particular challenges. These venues tend to be underfunded and may lack the resources necessary for disabled people to fully enjoy their time there. Unfortunately, many grassroots venues still have a long way to go in implementing accessible features and a lot of work and support is needed for the grassroots scene to have the ability to do this at their venues. Hillary shared how some grassroots venues are overcoming this through sharing pulls of access resources, such as ramps. In addition to this, organisations such as PRS support by providing funding for implementing access improvements at venues.
Hillary expressed how accessibility should never be an afterthought for promoters; it must be a priority when organising events from the customer to performers.
The importance of this was underscored by the 2017 case involving three Deaf mothers who won a legal battle against the promoters of a Little Mix concert for refusing to provide British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters for the opening act. The promoters’ refusal to accommodate their needs led to a judgement condemning them for unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act. This case set a crucial precedent, affirming that service providers must offer BSL interpreters for deaf attendees for all the acts that come to their event.
When promoters and venues are informed about a customer's need for disability support, it is vital that these needs are given high priority. This can be the deciding factor in whether a customer enjoys their night or not.
Another aspect that is important to disabled consumers is seeing artists who disabled artists on stage. In a 2019 Survey, Attitude is Everything found that 70% of artists had withheld details of a health condition or impairment due to being worried that doing so would cause problems and impact a relationship with a promoter, venue, or festival. Breaking the stigma around who gets to enjoy doesn’t just stop at customers but needs to be considered holistically.
Promoter Best Practices for Inclusivity
Promoters can take several steps to ensure their events are inclusive and accessible for disabled individuals. Here are some key recommendations:
Key Contact for Carer Tickets: Have a designated contact person for enquiries regarding free carer tickets.
Accessibility Information: Clearly outline accessibility features on the ticketing page and social media that could include information such as lifts, quiet spaces and accessible toilets.
Accessible Ticket Option: Include a specific option for disabled tickets to gauge and meet the needs of attendees requiring support.
Priority Queuing: Implement priority queuing, especially in cold weather, to accommodate individuals with conditions like sickle cell disease.
Pre-Event Adjustments: Solicit information from ticket buyers regarding necessary adjustments and follow up with them before the event.
Ear Protection Availability: Inform attendees where to obtain ear protection in the venue.
Adjustable Lighting: Coordinate with lighting technicians to accommodate individuals with eye conditions.
Sensory-Friendly Areas: Create areas with lower lighting and reduced noise for those sensitive to sensory stimuli.
Staff Training: Train staff to understand and respectfully assist disabled patrons.
Emergency Procedures: Develop and communicate clear emergency evacuation plans for disabled attendees.
Sharing Musicians Union Access Rider to all performers and DJs: The document sets out how people can share access requirements.
Supporting the Black Disabled Community
Beyond the role of promoters, all attendees can contribute to a more inclusive environment:
Respect Accessible Facilities: Avoid using disabled toilets if you do not need them.
Speak Up For Your Peers: If you see someone sharing their concerns about an upcoming event for accessibility reposts and share it to the event.
Advocate for Accessibility: Encourage venues to prioritise accessibility by providing feedback and suggestions.
Support Inclusive Venues: Frequent venues with good accessibility features.
Avoid Obstructing Access: Do not crowd ramps, elevators, or accessible restrooms.
Plan Ahead: When attending with disabled friends, plan to ensure their needs are met, including transportation and seating arrangements.
Not attending an event if you are ill: The first wave of Covid-19 badly impacted Black people, not spreading the virus is imperative for Black folks who are immunocompromised.
Promoting inclusivity in our community’s events is not just a legal obligation but a moral one. By recognising the unique challenges faced by the black disabled community and implementing thoughtful adjustments, we can create an environment where everyone feels welcomed and valued. Let’s strive to make our events a true celebration of diversity, ensuring no one is left behind.
