We are excited to announce the launch of the Creative Medway Venues and Events Accessibility Pledge. The pledge is a tool for venues and events working in the creative sector, to communicate their accessibility provisions for disabled audiences, artists, performers, volunteers and professionals. It has been produced in collaboration with members of Creative Medway’s Access & Inclusion Working Group. 

The pledge supports local events, venues, festivals, and organisations to make accessibility a focus of their work in the local community. By signing up, organisations in Medway are pledging to be transparent about their accessibility practices. They must show their commitment to addressing the barriers faced by disabled audiences, artists, performers, volunteers and professionals.  

The pledge consists of a checklist as well as toolkits for events and venues to help creative sector organisations develop accessibility work in Medway and allow disabled people to make informed decisions on what events suit their access requirements. 

“Ensuring that Deaf and disabled voices were at the heart of the pledge and toolkits was key to creating impactful work. Overall, by being transparent about your accessibility, you are giving control back to Deaf and disabled people and empowering them to engage with the arts in ways that are accessible to them. This is what we hope the Creative Medway Events and Venues Accessibility Pledge will do in Medway.”

Bee Grzegorzek, Inclusive Communities Manager