Let’s talk about accessibility

Accessibility should be an important consideration for all in the arts and culture sector and many organisations are already working hard to prioritise it in their spaces. It’s important to ensure people with disabilities are represented in our audiences, and understanding their needs and motivations, while removing barriers to access, are key to doing this. But implementing accessibility doesn’t just mean removing physical barriers: access needs vary from person to person, and it’s important not to make assumptions about your d/Deaf and Disabled audience members.

What does the research say?

Our IMPACT survey is designed to delve into the impact of attending arts and culture on audiences across Northern Ireland. Only 12% of respondents to the IMPACT survey reported being d/Deaf or Disabled, whereas 24% of people reported having a limiting long-term health problem or disability in the Northern Ireland census. d/Deaf and Disabled people are underrepresented in our audiences – what’s keeping them away?

There are many factors impacting the arts attendance of d/Deaf and Disabled audience members before they’ve even crossed the venue threshold. They’re less likely to have travelled from further afield to attend arts and culture. They’re also more likely to plan ahead – with 80% reporting that they decided to go to an event as soon as they heard about it.

d/Deaf and Disabled audiences are more than twice as likely than the IMPACT average to earn significantly lower than the NI median wage and are acutely impacted by the cost of living, with 40% reporting that they’re going to arts and culture less often as a result. Once they’re in the venue space, they’re 4% less likely than average to rate their experience ‘very good’.

Welcoming Disabled Audiences Toolkit

Access barriers for d/Deaf and Disabled audience members are complex, and there’s no one-size-fits-all option. We’ve compiled some cost-effective and straightforward ways to improve your accessibility and better include d/Deaf and Disabled audiences. If you’d like some one-on-one, bespoke support for your organisation in improving accessibility, why not book one of our audience appointments?

If you have any feedback about the toolkit, or have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Eve at eve@wewillthrive.co.uk.

This toolkit was originally published in 2020. The copy was updated in August 2024 to include up-to-date research from our IMPACT Survey.