The Inclusive Communities Project is a three‑year initiative working with local communities who face barriers to accessing the live events and arts sector.
In the first year, Attitude is Everything worked with Creative Medway to co‑produce the Events & Venues Accessibility Pledge, a practical toolkit for venues and festivals.
In the second year, the team partnered with local venues in the Northeast to create the Northeast Venues Accessibility Network, supporting positive change for Deaf and disabled audiences, artists and professionals in the region.
The learnings from these projects have culminated in the creation of the Grassroots and Community Accessibility Framework for the third and final year of the Inclusive Communities Project.
What is the Grassroots and Community Accessibility Framework?
In 2025, the Inclusive Communities team collaborated with the Live Events Access Charter and Communications teams to create a new framework designed specifically for grassroots and community organisations. Its purpose is to enable local venues to make accessibility a focus of their work in the local community.
By signing up to the Framework, venues commit to being transparent about their access provisions and to actively addressing the barriers experienced by disabled audiences, artists, performers, volunteers and professionals. Working through the Grassroots and Community Accessibility Framework enables organisations to make meaningful steps towards making their events and spaces more accessible for people who are Deaf, disabled, neurodivergent, or living with long‑term physical or mental health conditions.
When grassroots and community organisations are empowered to strengthen and share their accessibility, disabled artists, professionals and audiences gain the pathways they need to participate in the live events sector.
Bee Grzegorzek, Inclusive Communities Manager
The Framework brings together best‑practice guidance informed by Attitude is Everything’s work with grassroots and community organisations, alongside the UK‑government‑endorsed Live Events Access Charter. It is designed for organisations who may currently face barriers to accessing the Live Events Access Charter such as, limited funding for physical access improvements or reduced staffing capacity. It also serves as a foundational step for those working towards achieving Bronze level on the Charter.
The Framework has been created with grassroots and community organisations’ capacity in mind. It consists of a self‑assessment checklist accompanied by clear, supportive guidance.
The Pilot
In 2026, the Framework was piloted with 12 grassroots and community venues to ensure it is manageable, relevant and achievable. Of those venues, 4 provided extensive feedback alongside completing the checklist, demonstrating a strong commitment to creating more inclusive spaces. Participating venues included:
- The Snug, Atherton
- Cumberland Arms, Newcastle
- Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
- The Cluny, Newcastle
Venues shared valuable reflections on the process. Rescue Rooms noted that the Framework “helped highlight a thorough approach to addressing any areas needed to develop our accessibility as a venue and for long‑term planning.” Cumberland Arms said the most insightful part was being “reminded of simple changes that can make accessing what we do easier / more possible.”
What’s next?
Work on the Framework will continue over the next year, with further feedback being implemented and new pilots taking place in a range of settings. Our aim is to make the learning and resources widely available to grassroots and community organisations as soon as possible.
