Australia’s Ability Fest expands to second city
Australia’s Ability Fest is expanding to a second city in 2024, with editions in Melbourne (Victoria) and now Brisbane (Queensland).
The non-profit event – said to be the world’s first annual music festival aimed at normalising disability – raises money for the Dylan Alcott Foundation to help empower young people with disability to achieve their ambitions.
Dylan Alcott, an Australian four-time Paralympic gold medalist, presents the event in collaboration with Untitled Group (Beyond The Valley, Wildlands) and radio station Triple J.
Together, they will hold a fifth edition in Melbourne’s Alexandra Gardens/Birrarung Marr in Naarm on 19 October, and launch a new edition in Brisbane’s Victoria Park/Barrambin in Meanjin on 26 October.
“I’m so proud to see the path Ability Fest has already paved for inclusive events across the country”
Ocean Alley, ONEFOUR, Cub Sport, King Stingray, Bag Raiders, Brenn!, jamesjamesjames, Kita Alexander, Asha Jefferies, Eves Karydas, Jordan Brando, Middle Kids, Floodlights and Wax’o Paradiso are among the acts that will perform at one or both of the events.
Each festival has adopted accessible features including Auslan (Australian sign language) interpreters, accessible parking, accessible drop-off and pick-up zones, accessible bathrooms & changing places, elevated viewing platforms, BindiMaps, assistance dog area, designated chill spaces & sensory zones, tactile sensory silent disco and more.
General tickets go on sale at 12 pm AEST on 11 July at $60 (€37) with all proceeds going to the Dylan Alcott Foundation.
To date, Ability Fest has raised over $1M for the foundation, which has helped fund scholarships, mentoring and grants for young people with disability.
“I’m so proud to see the path Ability Fest has already paved for inclusive events across the country,” says Alcott. “First and foremost, our main priority is to create a kick-ass festival that happens to be accessible. And that’s something I think we’ve achieved since launching in 2018.”
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LN launches accessibility initiative in Australasia
Live Nation and Ticketmaster have partnered with Get Skilled Access, a consultancy co-founded by three-time Paralympic gold medallist Dylan Alcott, to improve accessibility across its venues and companies in Australia and Zealand.
The partnership also aims to bring together the wider Australasian industry to “create a more inclusive and accessible experience for fans with disabilities”, according to Live Nation. It has already seen Get Skilled Access provide accessibility training to 150 Live Nation employees in Australia and New Zealand, as well as consult on accessibility for Live Nation’s stadium tours, including the upcoming U2 Joshua Tree 2019 tour.
Ticketmaster, meanwhile, is testing an enhanced online booking experience on its website and app to give disabled customers more flexibility and choice of tickets.
In a joint statement, Roger Field, CEO of Live Nation Australasia, and Maria O’Connor, managing director of Ticketmaster Australia and New Zealand, say: “Every fan has the right to equal access of live entertainment. We’re delighted to be working closely with Dylan Alcott and Get Skilled Access to make sure that real change happens. It is essential that the industry comes together to achieve this, and now is the time for us all to find solutions.”
“It’s Get Skilled Access’s and my mission to help people understand disability by driving organisations to be more inclusive,” comments Alcott. “With my passions being sport and music, it’s a game-changer to work with Live Nation and Ticketmaster to make live more accessible and inclusive for all.
“now is the time for us all to find solutions”
“If we can start by getting more fans with accessibility needs to events, not only we will change people’s lives through the power of live, but we will improve the industry overall.”
The partnership kicked off with a joint address by Alcott and his Get Skilled Access co-founder, Nick Morris, to 400 venue industry professionals at the recent Venue Management Association Asia-Pacific Congress.
“Thanks to Live Nation and Ticketmaster, the tools and safe conversation that was presented to us in that one hour was the most beneficial conversation I have had at a conference in years,” says Bernie Haldane, deputy director and head of programming and presenter services at Auckland Live.
In the UK, Live Nation and Ticketmaster are members of the Ticketing Without Barriers Coalition, which aims to improve the ticket-buying experience for disabled and deaf audiences.
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