Attitude is Everything launch #MusicWithoutBarriers

Attitude is Everything, the charity that works to improve deaf and disabled people’s access to live music, has launched #MusicWithoutBarriers, a new campaign today to promote accessibility to live music for Deaf & disabled fans.

It’s being backed by a range of major artists, including Franz Ferdinand, The Cure, Alt-J, Frank Turner, Mystery Jets, Robert Wyatt, Enter Shikari and Anna Calvi.

The initiative aims to encourage more UK venues and festivals to join the 90+ who have signed up to the charity’s Charter of Best Practice, while promoting four key messages around access and equality:

Improving access doesn’t have to be costly
There is a strong business case for improving access
It is crucial to have access information in advance of an event
Not all disabled people are wheelchair users

According to Government data, more than 3m disabled people in the UK attend at least one live music event every year. Attitude is Everything works with the music industry to ensure these fans have the best possible opportunity to see the bands and artists that they love.

The charity’s vision is that "Deaf and disabled people can be audience members, employees or artists at any live music event of their choice: music without barriers”. Their Charter of Best Practice encourages event producers to go beyond the legal obligations set out in the Equality Act and implement best practice, providing a fair and equal service to their Deaf and disabled customers.

The campaign is also being formally backed by more than 90 festivals and venues who have already signed Attitude is Everything’s Charter of Best Practice, as well as the Featured Artists Coalition, the Music Managers Forum and the Musicians’ Union.

A full list of supporters and quotes can be found (here).

Suzanne Bull MBE, Chief Executive Officer of Attitude is Everything said, "Since founding Attitude is Everything in 2000, we have always found some fantastic support from within the music industry, and particularly among the artist community. So I am delighted that so many musicians and bands are supporting #MusicWithoutBarriers. In those 14 years, we have proved that improving access need not be expensive. And, more importantly, when the right facilities, policies and information are in place, live music can be opened up to the 11 million disabled people living in the UK and transform their lives for the better."

Crispin Hunt, Songwriter/Producer and Co-CEO of the Featured Artist Coalition summed up the aim of the new initiative saying,"The FAC fully supports Attitude is Everything and urges every band and every performer to join with the FAC in stipulating, at every gig, that nobody should be denied the access, or the facilities, to experience the thrill of live music.”

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