OpenCulture LogoOpenCulture

Accessible Culture: Events Must Be Accessible to Persons with Disabilities

7 July 2025
A diverse group of dancers performs on stage against an orange background. Four barefoot performers walk in a line, gently touching each other's shoulders, following a man in a wheelchair who leads the group with confidence and grace.

Imagine hearing about an amazing concert, art exhibit, festival - an event that stirs you, an event you’d want to be at - and discovering you can’t even get there, can’t get in, won’t be able to participate once there. For disabled people, it's an everyday experience. Cultural festivals - designed to bring people together - all too often exclude some. It doesn't have to be that way.

Inclusion Is Not an Add-on - It Is an Entitlement

Accessibility is not an indulgence, not an act of kindness. It's a right. But most cultural institutions are still physically, socially, and virtually inaccessible to people who have mobility, sensory, cognitive, or mental health disabilities. Steps without ramps. Long reports without easy reading versions. Websites without features for screen reading software. Overcrowded, overstimulating places. No interpretation of signs. No quiet room. No empathy. What type of message is that? That such culture is the prerogative of some only. That participation is made dependent on capacity. That public life membership depends. That's not only unfair - it's unoriginal. Because accessible design, at its most basic level, is beneficial to all.

Culture as Connection - For All of Us

Culture is how we tell, how we feel, and how we are linked to beyond ourselves. It's where we are connected - to ideas, to others, and to ourselves.The disabled are not an additional audience. They are dancers, artists, writers, audiences, critics, volunteers, organisers. They are everywhere and everywhere is where they are at home in the cultural ecosystem.Events designed on purpose for accessibility are where things get magical.The person who uses a wheelchair goes to watch theatre after a decade. The individual who is an autism person enjoys an unsensory show. The sighted teenager goes for an art tour guide along with her bestie. These aren't exceptions - they are required to be all right.

What Inclusive Events Feel Like

An inclusive cultural event isn't just an event that is wheelchair accessible and has a large door. It's an event carefully planned to provide for all to be welcomed and empowered. It includes:

It's about forecasting needs, not just reacting to grievances. It's about dignity, rather than sympathy. It's about designing with - not for.

It's Not Just Technical - It's Emotional

When you are excluded, you learn how to shrink. You stop trying. You stop thinking you're needed. When you're welcomed - genuinely welcomed - you open yourself. You participate. You create. You belong. Accessible cultural spaces are not only about ramps and braille. It is about breaking down the unspoken, invisible walls that cause humans to think that they don’t count. We can and must improve. Now - not tomorrow.

Keep in mind: disability is not unusual. It affects families, friends, and communities - possibly even you, someday. Thus, instead of asking “Should we open up our events? ”The question is: How can we possibly not do it? Culture for every body. Let's create a world where all can show up - fully, proudly, and without apology.

Other news from us :)

Inclusive art gallery with diverse visitors, including a person using a wheelchair, a blind man with sunglasses and cane, a deaf person using sign language, and children, all engaging with artworks enhanced by AR technology.
26 July

Accessibility of events: from law to practice (EAA, EU)

Accessibility is not optional—it’s the law. From 28 June 2025, the European Accessibility Act requires that digital services, ticketing, and event platforms be accessible to all. This article outlines what event organisers must do—from WCAG 2.1 compliance to venue adaptations—and provides tools, templates, and checklists for practical implementation. Inclusion helps you reach more people, reduce legal risks, and create better experiences.

Artist holding a palette and painting, surrounded by a vivid wave of creative inspiration.
26 July

Art and Health: What 3,000 Studies Tell Us

Art is more than beauty—it's health. A review of over 3,000 studies shows that music, dance, theatre, and visual arts improve mental and physical well-being. From lowering depression and anxiety to supporting dementia and chronic illness, art complements standard care. This article highlights the evidence and offers practical steps for communities and local governments to act now.

A diverse group of dancers performs on stage against an orange background. Four barefoot performers walk in a line, gently touching each other's shoulders, following a man in a wheelchair who leads the group with confidence and grace.
7 July

Accessible Culture: Events Must Be Accessible to Persons with Disabilities

Too many cultural events still exclude disabled people. This article calls for true accessibility—not as charity, but as a right—and shows how inclusive design empowers everyone to belong.

A colorful painting showing a girl and a boy sitting in separate golden swings, surrounded by flowing blue streams, vibrant flowers, and a rainbow background. A tree with flowers and a gender equality symbol connects them, while hands hold a cracked Earth at the bottom, symbolizing unity and care for the planet.
7 July

Culture and Gender Equality: Why Uplifting Women Creators and Safe Spaces Matters

This article explores persistent gender inequality in the cultural sector—highlighting the barriers women face, the stories we miss, and the urgent need for systemic change to ensure safety, access, and true representation for all voices.