Boost for Accessible Event Tickets

UK charity, Attitude is Everything, has reported a marked rise in the sale of disabled access gig and festival tickets in the last two years.  The charity, which works to improve access to live music for disabled people, found that sales were up by 70% since 2013.

Understanding Disability Needs

Attitude is Everything’s charter of best practice was created to help the music industry understand the needs of deaf and disabled music fans ensuring they have a positive experience at live music events. To date, 106 festivals and venues have signed up including Glastonbury and Download.

The charter recommends ways in which venues can make improvements to accommodate deaf and disabled people, such as suitable lighting, clear signage and providing in-depth information for music fans online, so they research the event and venue before they arrive.

Statistics from government data show that 4 million of the 10 million disabled people in the UK attended a concert between 2013 and 2014, which is double what it was six years ago.

Once you know you can go to gigs and festivals, you want to go even more!

Music fan Danielle Lispcombe, from Bristol, feels positive that venues are improving. Danielle, who has a form of dwarfism called achondroplasia, says: “I definitely see more disabled people in crowds now.  Once you know you can go to gigs and festivals, you want to go even more!”

Breaking Down Barriers

Wheelchair user, Alex Taylor, said he often finds cost a problem because he has to bring a carer with him.  He says: “The price was a real barrier, why should I pay double?  The concessionary tickets for a carer make gig access more possible for me, as it means I don’t have to worry about things like going to the toilet unaided.”

Popular music festival, Download, increased the number of disabled camping tickets from 450 to 1,500 this year as a result of the positive improvements.  Sally Blake, who is a senior disabled access co-ordinator for promoter Live Nation, said: “We’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of disabled fans at Download festival, which will only increase as more and more fans realise that they can go to music festivals now.”

To read the charter and see which venues near you have signed up, visit Attitude is Everything.