"In a dream world, I get the experience of everyone else"

Live Music and Accessibilty

Ko Takitimu me Harouta Ngā Waka
Ko Maungahaumi me Manawaru Ngā Maunga
Ko Waipaoa me Te Ārai Ngā Awa
Ko Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki me Rongowhakaata Ngā iwi
Ko Te Whānau-a-Taupara me Ngāti Kaipoho Ngā hapu
Ko Takipu me Manutuke ngā Marae
Ko Te Whanganui-a-tara e noho ana au
Ko Samuel Morgan ahau

For context

I’m a disabled musician and accessibility advocate currently based in Põneke. I live with an eye condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa. This is a degenerative eye condition that eventually might lead to total blindness.

I have been in love and in awe of music since before I can remember, and as I have grown older and become more in touch with my identity, I have come to realise how important expressing myself through music is and how it has nourished all parts of my well-being.

I’ve been stimming the whole time…

Alongside losing my eyesight; performing and attending shows has become increasingly difficult, but I must acknowledge how heart-warming it is to see so many initiatives striving to increase diversity in our country's venues.

For the past year, I have had the privilege of helping facilitate hui as part of research that is aimed at making resources on accessibility for small to medium-sized venues in Aotearoa. Some of this article is informed by this research. This article is reflective of my own journey as a disability advocate and advisor; I am learning all the time and recognise that my opinions and approaches will change as the community teaches me.

A quick note...

Pay people!

I feel comfortable writing this article because it is informed by the experiences of D/deaf and disabled musicians or disabled music patrons who were adequately compensated when sharing lived experiences.

How much?

$120 per hour, $50 for a support person, and compensation for transportation.

Often times Deaf/disabled folk are expected to perform emotional labour for free.
I highly recommend engaging with the disability community when making decisions around accessibility, (Nothing about us without us!) but please make sure you pay people.

He Waka eke noa

We are all on this Waka together

Disabled folk are disabled by society. This link explains the social model of disability - which states that disability doesn’t exist because of the person and their condition, yet, it exists because society is disabling. If a place is universally accessible (meaning it is designed so that everyone can use the space) anyone can be in the space regardless of the assistive technology (like glasses or a wheelchair) that they use.

Society disables that person because society has normalised designs for the majority of people and not the minority, who may use a wheelchair, for example.
   
Who we are is okay, what happens to us is not.

It’s important to acknowledge that accessibility has always been interwoven into the indigenous ways of Aotearoa. Manaakitanga - hospitality, kindness, generosity, support - it’s the process of showing respect, generosity, and care for others. This link will take you to a short history of disability in Aotearoa which explains that pre-colonisation, Māori saw disability as a part of human and whānau diversity.

Colonised ableism has entered the chat

I really needed to use the wharepaku when I arrived at Pyramid Club. When I asked about the toilet, the friendly person on the door pointed to a small hand-drawn map of how to exit the building and find the door to the other part of the building that the wharepaku was in. Needless to say, it took me a while to find the map that was also surrounded by enticing gig posters. It took even longer (two attempts) to find the wharepaku.

NZ research shows that 1.1 million people in Aotearoa live with a disability, and about 18% of them have an invisible disability. It is important that everyone involved with a gig must be aware of this so that it becomes commonplace to offer people assistance in case they need it.

Some of my disabled friends have experienced some really unacceptable behaviour at Wellington venues. Like venues asking for wheelchair users to bring friends to carry them up the stairs or venues ignoring requests to make a clear path to and from the greenroom.

Most of the time it involves a shrug of the shoulders paired with excuses lacking acknowledgement of the barriers and the exclusion it causes. It’s important we sit with those not-so-nice feelings when we fail to meet basic human rights, so we have a better understanding of what it might feel like not to participate in cultural activities. We all want to do good, but without acknowledging out shortfalls we can’t move towards doing better.

Our post-colonial society looks at disability through a deficit mindset. Disability is viewed as something an individual is lacking. This leads to disabled people feeling like they are a burden to society and could cause internalised ableism. They might feel ashamed, hide their needs or feel uncomfortable asking for assistance.

How to increase accessibility at your gig

The first thing you can do is add this line to your promotional material and event description.

Do you have access requirements or any questions about accessibility? Text: (Number) or email: (accessibility@greatestvenue.org.nz.)

This shows you have thought of access. It shows awhi (care) for disabled folk.

You might not have wheelchair access, but you might have a quiet space for people who get overwhelmed at the gigs. Or maybe someone like myself needs to know what kind of lighting the venue has. Having someone on your team who is open to answering accessibility questions is the first step toward making your event more accessible.

From my experience talking with people from the D/deaf and disabled community - People want honesty and transparency. Be very clear about what you can and can’t offer.

When I worked at Wellington Access Radio I created an accessibility information page. This link will take you to the the information page. It features a video walkthrough entering the building from street level, information about lifts, doorways, flooring, nearby bus stops, a map of the surrounding streets, if there is braille on the lift buttons, how high the buttons are, it states that none of the staff speak New Zealand Sign Language, how wide the front doors are and whether or not they are heavy or usually open. Among other things, of course. This was created using the Arts Access Aotearoa guide on creating accessibility information sheets. You can find more Arts Access resources at this link.

You all good? What does support look like for you right now?

In my opinion, just the word accessibility can strike fear into the hearts of folk. Often we look at accessibility as an expense, unattainable in such an underfunded arts scene. The good news is there are a lot of low-cost things you can do to improve accessibility at your events.

-    Normalise seated areas with a view of the stage - have a range of seating, for both audiences and performers.
-    Make space for wheelchair users and make sure there is a clear path for them to get to the front.
-    Think of quiet zones - Have dim lighting and try not to have patterned material on the wall as some autistic people might find this overwhelming.
-    Have a clear line of contact with your newly appointed accessibility coordinator in case someone has questions or would like to share their accessibility requirements.
-    If you have accessible bathrooms, be clear about where they are and if the person might need to navigate around tight corners or dark corridors.
-    Offer complimentary earplugs. Be cautious that your sound system is not over the legal SPL (Sound Pressure Level)
-    Ask “What does support look like for you right now?”
-    Think about lighting. Warm lighting. No fluorescent lighting.
-    Be honest about what you can and can’t provide.
-    If possible, make it known service dogs are welcome. Have a bowl of water for them. (No patting!)
-    Offer complimentary assistance tickets for people who need a support person with them.
-    If you have a break in between sets and the lights are turned on, be clear about how much time people have to use the bathroom, take a breather, and then get back to their spot.
-    Speak with the venue/ensure the bar service is accessible for people whom a higher counter might be an issue
-    No strobes. If you must have strobes make it very clear that there will be strobes during the show.
-    Allow sufficient time for sound checks. If possible, have an earlier door opening time for disabled folk.
-    If there is no accessible toilet, find out where the nearest one is and let people know in advance
-    Make sure your promotional material is accessible. Don’t overlay images with text, use the biggest font size you can, use Sans Serif fonts like Arial and include image descriptions.

In an ideal world, everything would be universally designed and these accommodations would be commonplace - if it is unrealistic to have these accommodations permanently in place, have a plan for how you will implement them with as little fuss as possible. Make sure everyone involved in the event is aware of ways to manaaki D/deaf or disabled folk who might attend your gig.

You wanna go above and beyond, huh?

-    Think of accessibility from the get-go. Set aside an accessibility budget.
-    Hire an NZSL interpreter and provide them with lyrics well in advance.
-    Only book accessible venues.
-    Offer free tickets for disabled folk (The median weekly income of disabled folk in Aotearoa is around $550 less than a non-disabled persons median weekly income)
-    Live-stream your show for people who are unable to attend.
-    If your communications are up to par and someone communicates they can’t make it to the show due to their health condition, refund them or offer them a complimentary ticket to the next show.
-    Be an Ally. Ask venues about their accessibility, where people can find that information, and ask them whether or not they can send a video walkthrough of the venue.
-    Are there a few steps into the venue? Sort out a ramp.
-    Offer face masks, lower the capacity of the show and encourage social distancing to keep chronically ill folk safe.
-    Have a low-sensory backpack containing sunglasses, earmuffs, and things people can fidget with.
-    If your event includes interesting instruments or sets, offer touch tours before the gig.

Mana enhancing accessibility at your venue

-    Look into access riders. Ask whether any of the performers have accessibility riders.
-    Make sure bar staff and bouncers are comfortable checking-in on people
-    If your venue is not wheelchair accessible, look into doing a few gigs a year in accessible public spaces.
-    Encourage your staff, sound engineers to practice radical vulnerability. Encourage taking breaks, lead by example so performers feel comfortable asking for breaks.

-    Make sure staff are trained on disability etiquette. For example, when having kōrero with a disabled person about access stuff, make sure staff talk to the disabled person and not the person they are with.
-    Allow performers to look at the stage beforehand. Show them where the mic is and have markers so they know where the edge of the stage is.
-    Be open to building access into the event planning process. For example, ask whether the performer has a medication schedule they need to follow.
-    Be clear with your planning, e.g dates and timeframes. Be sure your communications are accessible - Avoid PDF’s and ask if performers have a preferred mode of communication.

Intersectionality, safety, and the cut in the curb

When we improve accessibility, it’s good for everyone. Cuts in curbs were initially designed for wheelchair users, but they are also useful for parents with prams, people on those pesky longboards, and people using walking frames.

Improving lighting is good for people like myself who have low-vision, but it’s also good for people who might need to look out for and avoid certain people in the crowd. Another tip to improve safety is to have a list of people working on the show and make sure you have a strong relationship with the venue and security. Think about your processes around dealing with bad behaviour.

Acknowledgements

A huge thank you to Catherine Hoad and Jesse Austin-Stewart for involving me in their accessibility research, and of course to all of the research participants for sharing their own experiences; the title is a direct quote from one of the participants. This research was funded by Massey University. A huge thank you to Arts Access Aotearoa for their continued support and Stace and Milly from Arts Access Aotearoa for their guidance and manaaki. You can join their Arts For All Network by clicking this link.