Accessibility for Music Festivals.

Many music festivals take place in remote locations with a temporary infrastructure but this should never prevent all people from being able to attend and enjoy the event. Every festival provides information about accessibility on their site and how they make the event inclusive for all but what measures can organisers take to improve accessibility.

Often ignored there are a significant number of disabled people who want to enjoy the music festival experience and atmosphere. It’s not just festival-goers who need good accessibility on a festival site but there are also performers, staff and volunteers who have requirements too. Organisers should be embracing DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) as a key element in managing anyone connected with the festival organisation. One not-for-profit organisation that is striving to improve accessibility for disabled people to enjoy music and live events is ‘Attitude is Everything’.

What is Attitude is Everything. 
Founded in 2000 Attitude is Everything is a charity funded by Arts Council England with a focus on breaking down barriers and connecting disabled people with music and live event industries to improve access together. The charity is a disability-led organisation who believe passionately in the value of accessibility. The organisation created the Live Events Access Charter in 2001 with the aim of improving accessibility.

Awards and Standards for Music Festivals.
The Live Events Access Charter is an industry standard designed to help festival organisers build disability equality. Festival organisations can achieve Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum awards based on an assessment that includes: 

• Pre-event information and communications.
• Bookable access such as companion tickets and viewing platforms.
• Access-related policies such as assistance dogs, food and drink.
• Entry and egress, including emergency evacuation.
• Physical accessibility around the venue or event.
• Access to performance such as viewing platforms/areas, and British Sign Language.
• Accessible facilities such as toilets and campsite amenities.
• Accessibility for artists, volunteers and employees.
• Staff briefing and training. 

Assessments are conducted by a team member from Attitude is Everything and support is ongoing. Inspections of festival sites will typically consider the design of accessible campsites, outdoor viewing platforms and access routes around a site.

Festival Organiser Actions. 
Any festival organiser that wishes to obtain an award will always start at Bronze and must perform the following:  

• Attend a Charter Introduction meeting.
• Send a written commitment to implementing Charter Action Plan requirements.
• Develop a draft Action Plan.
• Agree to being mystery shopped.
• Engage with disabled audience members when necessary.
• Commit to updating and reviewing an Action Plan every two years.
• Commit to putting staff on Disability Equality Training.
• Agree to respond to the Charter Survey on a yearly basis. 

When presenting accessibility information festival organisers should publish their award level for the Charter of Best Practice within their accessibility website pages. This provides an insight to interested readers on how the festival performs against the standards set by Attitude is Everything.

For festival organisers planning their events using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, cashless payments and contactless ordering. 

Information and data courtesy of Attitude is Everything (attitudeiseverything.org.uk)
Photo by Judita TamošiÅ«naitÄ— via Pexels

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