UK festivals sign up to Attitude is Everything campaign

A number of UK festivals have joined Attitude is Everything, a campaign designed to improve access for deaf and disabled people, Music Week has reported.

Through working in partnership with audiences, artists and the music industry, Attitude is Everything aims to implement a best practice charter throughout the UK. The organisation has already agreed a deal with the London borough of Tower Hamlets to partner with a number of festivals in London’s Victoria Park.

These festival include Lovebox, Field Day, High Voltage, Under Age, The Apple Cart and LED festivals. The Victoria Park-based festivals join an additional 35 live music venues and festivals across the UK, including Brixton Academy, Wembley Arena, Royal Albert Hall, and Reading and Leeds Festivals, that have pledged to improve access for disabled people.

Tower Hamlets’ senior arts and events manager Pam McCrea claimed event organisers had been responsive and had fed back to them how valuable the training and guidance Attitude is Everything had provided them. She added, “They have also reported an increase in ticket sales to date from disabled patrons due to the new measures they have been implementing.”

Furthermore, the UK Festival Awards will include disabled access as part of its award assessment criteria for this year. Attitude is Everything CEO Suzanne Bull said this was a key breakthrough in ensuring the music industry continued to meet the requirements of their deaf and disabled customers.

“It raises the public’s awareness of the issues that deaf and disabled people face at music festivals across the UK,” she said.