Arts Council England to Launch Survey About UK Access Scheme

Arts Council England are launching a consultative survey with venues about the plans to create a UK wide access scheme.

Director, Diversity, Abid Hussain, who has responsibility for delivering the Arts Council's work on equality, diversity and inclusion, has set out the ambitions for the project which aim to make attending creative and cultural events easier for disabled, D/deaf and neurodivergent people.

On the Arts Council England website, Hussain said when cultural spaces reopened after the pandemic: "it was a moment that highlighted what we already knew, there was a need for greater support and flexibility to allow everyone access to the great creative and cultural events that they put on."

Disability and theatre blogger Shona Louise recently wrote an article on BroadwayWorld highlighting the urgent need for clarity for disabled theatre-goers in terms of access needs. The UK currently has a complicated and wide variety of systems in place for disabled patrons.

Hussaind also said: "We want to get as many creative and cultural venues that run ticketed events to give their views on the proposed ideas of how a scheme would run." He added that he hopes: "the ongoing process that will lead to a UK wide access scheme. A scheme which all those involved hope will mean audience members with access needs will be given the support they want, and the venues they visit are helped to be inclusive to everyone."

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Photo Credit: Arts Council England

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