Talking inclusion: Access for all at festivals

Abstract:
This study investigates the relationship between wheelchair accessibility obstacles and solutions. In the 21st century, there are an estimated 1.3 billion disabled people in the world. The analysis shows the correlation between social justice and barriers to inclusion. Accessibility is about understanding social justice, oppression, equality and human rights within festivals.

Key words: Disability, oppression, wheelchair users, social justice

Discussion:

Disabled people’s experiences can be politically motivated, and oppression is valid in society today. As a result, ableism suggests that disabled people can be ‘fixed’, and the disability defines the character. The Equality Act 2010 protects physically and mentally disabled people. Disability is referred to as any condition of the body or mind which makes activities or participation difficult (CDC, 2024). Wheelchair users commonly have issues around booking, carer tickets, Ticketmaster issues and various problems at events. Only a small amount as a result can attend music festivals. Climate change can cause numerous difficulties for wheelchair users and considering this whilst making plans can help to avoid further issues. Most are recommended to contact event organisers, requesting data from festivals, contacting regulatory bodies and in extreme circumstances a claims court. Disabled people can often feel left behind when it comes to large gatherings. This report therefore analyses the current gaps within events and attempts to understand solutions.

Fake news in the UK can inherently cause harm to disabled users. While fake festivals cause disruption when disorganised or illegitimate, wheelchair users feel pushed away to one side and mistreated. Leading to segregation and exclusion. An increased number of toilets are designed as inaccessible which includes no grab rails and hoists. Installing these features can create a welcoming environment. Gigloo is a company that can assist in this situation to ensure a positive experience has been had at a festival (Taylor, 2022). Attitudes of those without a disability visiting a destination with a wheelchair user can be negative and this leads to further harm. Discussing disability and educating able-bodied people can break the barrier to inclusion. Allowing for social justice to support and change lives for the better increases the likelihood of barriers being removed. Accessible information should easily be found online to increase festival attendance. RFID technology could create an ease of access for event organisers to connect with wheelchair users to allow for tailored care. Location-based apps help festivals to collect data to support wheelchair users for the better and allowing users to decide if information is stored.

Disabled people should have full and fair access to activities, social roles and relationships (Bates and Davis, 2004, 196). Agentic power is when a disabled person accepts capitalist culture and changes their life for the better. Knowledge gaps in accessibility and ableism lead to altered experiences. Accessible wheelchair paths, interaction platforms, braille and staff training help disabled people to access events. Providing water bowls, a spending area for dogs, a medical equipment charging station and a cold fridge all acknowledge wheelchair users’ disabilities. Although language needs changing to become accessible for all. Staff training and first aid training goes a long way. From an inclusive environment to engaging with disabled people on a personal level. Disabled users can share experiences on social media, and this can help solve issues and reach a larger audience. User generated content or poor reviews decrease ticket sales and less people go to the festival. Marketing of festivals does not include disabled people, which means these are excluded. As with all festivals, drugs play a role in safety, accessibility, social interactions and health. Disabled users are at risk of dangerous conditions. Although simple checks can help reduce drug related offences at festivals. People with disabilities are protected under the Human Rights act and means everyone should be treated with dignity and respect.

Concluding that although today’s society is filled with politics, oppression, social injustice and fake news, disabled people always have equal rights and are protected by human rights. Factoring in climate change with disabled people avoids issues and allowing contingency plans to occur. It is important to always prioritise disabled people at festivals. Apps and social media platforms to allow location to help festival organisers plan and to creatively look after disabled attendees. Disabled people have the agentic power to change things for the better on social media and aim for more accessible in every sense.

References:
Bates, P. and Davis, F. A. (2004) Social capital, social inclusion and services for people with learning disabilities. Disability & Society, 19 (3) 195-207. Available from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240512598_Social_capital_social_inclusion_and_services_for_people_with_learning_disabilities [accessed February 2024].
CDC (2024) Disability and Health overview. National centre on Birth defects. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/disability.html [accessed February 2024].
Taylor, A. (2023) Disabled fans decry no-show accessible festival toilets. BBC, 26 August. Available from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66587745 [accessed February 2024].

The idea that disabled people need to be ‘fixed’ is disgusting and harmful. Many disabled people are greeted with sympathy and pity (Jonckheere, 2020) – they are regarded as something to feel sorry for, ignoring their daily lives, achievements and emotions. Similarly, disabled people are often excluded, wherever this be socially or from physical participation (Hicks et al., 2022). This makes it ever more important that disabled people should be able to access a wider range of things, including festivals. Those with disabilities should be able to access a majority of things that non-disabled people can. Sometimes at festivals, disabled people are given separate areas - although this allows them to participate, it segregates them from others, further widening the divide and social exclusion.

The stereotypical view of a festival is the flooded, muddied, hard to trespass fields, especially in the UK due to our weather and climate. The common view of people in wellies traipsing through muddy ground, the ‘fun’ of being impaired. It had not occurred to me before reading this paper how much that this directly affects accessibility and how it excludes the event to many who have accessibility needs. In addition, the comments made about festival marketing are true and through a search on the topic, I found no inclusion of disabled people.

It is a stark but true reminder that anyone can become disabled at any time – wherever temporarily or permanently, it is a factor that everyone can face. It is often until this happens that those who are not disabled realise the everyday struggle and barriers that disabled people face. Improving accessibility at festivals may help many others, including those who are facing temporary disability (such as injuries) and perhaps become more accessible to others who face mobility issues, such as older people.

This discussion paper is well written and researched, suggesting some improvements and priorities that need to be implemented in to festivals. A positive inclusion in this paper would be a researched example of a festival that is catering to disabilities and what they have specifically done and perhaps comparison to other festivals. In addition, the topic would be good for expansion, conducting interviews with those who are disabled and their experiences (or lack of due to exclusion) at festivals. It would be interesting to further understand how a range of people with different disabilities participate in festivals, including those who are blind or deaf. Disability is a spectrum after all and individuals may have different experiences.

Hicks, E.C., Traci, M.A. and Korb, K. (2022). ‘Sympathy’ vs. ‘Empathy’: Comparing experiences of I2 Audits and disability simulations. In: Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, (3). Lausanne: Frontiers Media.
Jonckheere, S. (2020). Disability in rural areas: A matter of perception. Rome: International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Accessed from: https://www.ifad.org/en/web/latest/-/blog/disability-in-rural-areas-a-matter-of-perception. [Accessed: 23rd May 2024].