How live music events can be made more open to deaf and disabled customers Part 2
How live music events can be made more open to deaf and disabled customers Part 2
By
Attitude is Everything
Nina Muehlemann
Graham Griffiths
This State of Access Report is a systematic research into access and inclusion within the music industry. It examines views and approaches to access across the industry and sets out recommendations to ensure that all venues follow best practice. In particular, it includes suggestions for an ‘Event Standard’ to which all venues should subscribe. The study was user-led, with research conducted by Deaf and disabled music-lovers who are directly affected by these issues.
Step-Free Access Throughout:
Only 56% of the “mystery shopped” venues provided step-free access throughout the building, meaning that there were inaccessible areas for wheelchair users and people with mobility impairments at nearly half of the gigs our Mystery Shoppers attended. Again there was a slight improvement at Charter Venues, where 63% had step-free access throughout compared with just 51% at Non-Charter Venues.
Inaccessible areas are a common situation in larger venues that have been converted from a theatre or cinema with many levels and lots of stairs (e.g. KOKO or Shepherds Bush Empire). Often there will be an accessible entrance and then stepfree access to a toilet, bar, and viewing area, but not to other public areas such as the dance floor.
