An alliance of festival organisers say they will learn from the “mixed picture” of events from 2022 and ensure that 2023 is the most accessible summer yet.
Attitude is Everything, which works to improve access in the music and live even industries, reported that it has partnered with a number of other groups to work towards a #FestivalsWithoutBarriers agenda.
The organisations involved are the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF), the Association of Festival Organisers (AFO) and the British Arts Festival Association (BAFA). Between them they represent more than 200 events that attract more than a million ticket buyers each year.
All the organisations have been issued with three calls to action in order to help improve the experience for disabled customers and increase attendances. The aims are to provide quality access information to disabled audiences at the point of tickets going on sale, integrate questions about access requirements into the artist booking process and implement practical changes to make festival workplaces and festival volunteering accessible to disabled people.
The partnership between the organisations aims to offer members introductions to Attitude is Everything’s Live Events Access Charter and subsidised Disability Equality Training, a series of symposiums on implementing the guidance and opportunities to learn from the lived experience of disabled audience members, artists and professionals drawn from networks of disabled people.
Suzanne Bull MBE, founder of Attitude is Everything, said: “I see this new partnership as a powerful force in transforming the industry. The experiences of disabled people over the 2022 festival season appear to have been quite mixed, especially when it comes to availability of pre-event information, booking accessible tickets and the level of access onsite. Working together we will drive through the change necessary to improve access for disabled audiences, artists, employees and volunteers. As a disabled person, I’m looking forward to a stress-free festival season in 2023!”
Leaders of the three associations also welcomed the partnership.
Paul Reed, Outgoing CEO, Association of Independent Festivals, said: “Accessibility at festivals is truly a cross-sector issue. Let’s work together to ensure that 2023 is the most accessible year for UK festivals yet”.
Steve Heap, General Secretary of the Association of Festival Organisers, said: “With 14.6 million people in the UK being disabled there is a vast potential audience that may not be attending festivals for fear of inaccessibility.”
Fiona Goh, Director of British Arts Festivals Association, said: “There’s never been a more important time to ensure that festivals are accessible to all, and we look forward to seeing a more diverse and inclusive audience in our festivals next year.”
