Our Live Events Access Charter is an industry standard designed to help you build disability equality into all aspects of your venue or event.
The Live Events Access Charter is a developmental framework to encourage live event organisations to progress their inclusive practices for diverse Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people* across all areas of their business.
We see implementing accessible practice as a standard, not a luxury.
* Intersectionality is an important part of ensuring everyone has their access needs met. This includes acknowledging that if someone is disabled and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, or of the global majority, their needs may be different to someone who is not. Respecting all aspects of someone’s identity is key to providing the best support.
Current Charter members and invited organisations will now have access to our new online learning platform
If this is you, please check your emails for more information.
Piloting our new online learning platform
We’ve made some big changes to the way we run our Live Events Access Charter. Read our blog about the changes we’ve made.
Pivoting to an online learning platform gives Charter members a smoother, more accessible and more visual experience. But to make sure we were making the right kinds of improvements, we brought a handful of venues and festivals into the process.
Through a pilot programme, they’ve been testing the platform and giving us vital feedback.
“Myself and Emily are so thrilled that Glastonbury has been given this award. It is so important that our festival can give access to people that would otherwise find it difficult. Having worked with Attitude is Everything since 2005 the festival has made some significant changes to get us to where we are now. We thank Attitude for the advice and assistance they have given the festival over the years and we look forward to continuing our work with them.”
Michael Eavis, Glastonbury Festival
History of the Live Events Access Charter
Until its name change in 2022, our Charter was known as Attitude is Everything’s Charter of Best Practice.
- The Attitude is Everything Charter of Best Practice and pilot programme was launched at Camden Dingwalls, London in September 2000.
- The early years saw us sign up venues and events of every scale across the UK, including Band on the Wall, Sage Gateshead and Reading Festival.
- 2012 saw us split the Charter into two frameworks – one for venues and one for festivals.
- In 2013, The O2 was the first arena in the UK to be awarded Gold.
- In 2014, Glastonbury was the first camping festival to gain the Gold Award, whilst 300-capacity venue The Boileroom in Guildford became our 100th Charter sign-up.
- 2015 saw Band on the Wall become the first small venue in the UK to be awarded Gold. That year also saw the first Pride event join the Charter – Pride Cymru.
- In 2016, Union Chapel and the church of St John at Hackney became the first church-based live music venues to join the Charter.
- In 2017, we launched a version of the Charter specifically for Grassroots music venues in consultation with Music Venue Trust, with Tunbridge Wells Forum being the first to be awarded. This year also saw the Live Events Access Charter being endorsed by UK Music’s ‘Live Music Group’ and the UK Government as the ‘Best Practice Access Standards in Live Music.’
- Despite the impact of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, sign-ups in the period continued, including Alexandra Palace, and Green Door Store.
- In 2022, we released the latest version of the Charter, now called the Live Events Access Charter.
- Over 210 venues and events have gained awards to date.
- In 2023 we signed off Southbank Centre as our first Platinum Venue, and Greenwich+Docklands International Festival as our first Platinum Festival
- In 2024 we are working on updating our Live Events Access Charter – watch this space!