Event planners should work harder on accessibility, for everyone’s benefit

Momentum Worldwide’s 2024 We Know Experiences: Connected Consumer global study recently surveyed over 800 people with disabilities, both visible and invisible, such as learning disabilities and neurodivergence. We found that two-thirds (66%) of those who identify as experiencing a disability feel large events such as concerts and sporting events have become less enjoyable for them over the last five years.

Not an inconvenience

Consider the hurdles those with disabilities might encounter as they look to participate in an experience: poorly designed websites that make it difficult to find necessary information, including where accessible seating is located in the venue; additional steps such as having to call the venue to confirm accommodations; the realization upon arrival that the venue is more difficult to navigate than expected; and a lack of proper communication from organizers and staff, with policies and procedures that are often inconsistent and sometimes created ad hoc.

Then there’s the fact that many disabled people can feel afraid to ask for and utilize services because they do not like feeling helpless and ‘othered.‘ This is particularly true of those who have invisible disabilities. In addition to the anxiety they might feel being in large crowds, they also face the possibility of others making remarks about them using accessible seating and lines with no visible disabilities.

One of the issues is that experiences are often designed by non-disabled and neurotypical people who, although well-meaning, either put accessibility at the bottom of their list of considerations or have a poor understanding of what accessibility means.

As a result, accommodations for people with disabilities can come across as simply legal compliance or, as 48% of the non-disabled people said in our research, a major inconvenience.

Two in five have misconceptions about the meaning of accessibility. Some believe it means allotting special privileges, while others think it means making experiences less physically strenuous or more affordable.

What accessibility means – and what disabled people often really want – is giving everyone the same opportunity to enjoy an experience. Everyone pays a similar price for their ticket. They watch the same concert or the same game and endure the same crowds. People just want to enjoy the experience without having to worry about things such as whether they can see the sign interpreter properly or whether they can make it to intermission without feeling sensory overload.

Experience for all

Fortunately, voices are being heard. The increased focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and accessibility (DEIBA) in the experiential world has allowed for more diverse perspectives. Event organizers are taking steps to do better.

For instance, there has been a rise in quiet rooms. Long prevalent at fan conventions that often attract those who identify as neurodivergent, they are provided more and more at sporting events and concerts, too. These rooms do not require a special pass or a doctor’s note for access. The only rule is to be quiet in them to allow those suffering from sensory overload a space to decompress.

One example of a well-designed, accommodating experience is the New York City Ballet. The company offers sensory-friendly shows on weekends where the lighting and sound levels are adjusted, the entry and exit policies are more relaxed – as opposed to having to wait until the intermission to leave – and there are dedicated staff to assist with additional needs. Purchasing tickets to these performances is as easy as any of the other performances on the website.

‘Accessibility for all’ does not mean anyone can park in accessible spaces or grab reserved seats at concerts. Rather, it means thinking about how attendees enjoy experiences. 64% of participants in our global study said they believe that experiences should accommodate anyone who has a condition that makes it more difficult for them to participate and 67% believe that accessibility should be the norm.

I will go one step further and say that accessibility should be one of the first considerations for any experiential marketer when planning an activation. Shouldn’t it be the goal of any experience to bring joy and happiness to all participants?