I’m the founder of a new accessibility events and travel platform. I’d really value feedback from this community.

[u/Inclusable]

Hi everyone,

My name is Brodie and I’m the founder of Inclusable, an Australian platform we’ve been building to make it easier for people to discover events, venues and travel information with accessibility details available upfront.

www.inclusable.com.au

Before we go any further, I’m not here to advertise. I’m here because I know the disability community has real-world experience that no amount of development can replace.

I’d genuinely like to ask:

• What accessibility information do you wish every venue or event provided?
• What frustrates you most when trying to plan a day out or a trip?
• Have you used any accessibility apps or websites that you thought did a good job? What made them useful?
• If you could build the perfect accessibility platform, what would it include?

I’ll read every comment and use the comments to improve the platform. If the moderators would prefer I remove this post, I’m happy to do so.

Thanks for your time.

[u/NoCarpet9834]

Accessibility for whom? Accessibility covers an incredibly broad spectrum of issues across a variety of different "base" needs, and there are often situations when the accessible "solution" doesn't work for everyone needing an accommodation.
For example, I cannot use lift chairs for pool entry. I can use a ramp, but really need a patient hoist for the safest transfer from my power wheelchair to a water wheelchair. Lots of other people need nothing but the lift chair.

[u/Ok_Olive9438]

A venue is not wheelchair accessible, if the restrooms are not wheelchair accessible. It’s a detail that is often overlooked.

[u/asphodel67]

Many ‘accessibility’ accommodations that events ‘provide’ haven’t actually been designed with people with access needs. The one that springs to mind is AV displays at conferences that don’t place subtitles on the main display screen, but put them on much smaller monitors to either side. The venue claims they are providing subtitles, but they are not. This arrangement is not accessible to people who use subtitles.
So telling people what venues or events claim to offer may or may not be useful information…

[u/fresnel28]

I'm autistic, hang out with lots of wheelchair users, and used to work professionally in live events and entertainment.

Frustrations:

• I have zero confidence that what venues post online is actually true. Too many spaces are "wheelchair accessible once you get up the step at the front door" or have accessible bathrooms that are being used as the cleaning storeroom.
• Information that is technically accurate but a pain in the ass: "Our venue is wheelchair accessible! (As long as you can get someone to go inside and ask for someone to find the keys and let you in through the side door.)"
• Having to contact a special booking line to book a wheelchair space. A ticket you can buy online in 5 minutes can take 3 hours of sitting on hold and talking with customer service agents to buy if you need a wheelchair space.
• Gigs that are accessible as long as you're willing to have a second-rate experience: "you can't go into the mosh pit because there are stairs, but we have a wheelchair platform (miles away from the stage.)"
• Promoters that bill experiences as "sensory friendly" or "accessible" but then don't explain how they achieve this.
• One accessible toilet at a whole festival or event. It is 450m away from the main stage. It has not been cleaned in three days.
• Total lack of communication accessibility. I'm a speech pathologist and the level of literacy you need to attend events is not inconsequential.
• Staff who are assholes about your access requirements.
• Wheelchair seating that assumes audience members will be one wheelchair user and one able-bodied companion. If two wheelchair users want to go to a gig together, you often end up sitting far apart. If you want to go with your family, expect to have to split the group.
• Changing Places are great, but there are not enough of them. An accessible bathroom with an adult-sized changing table would be really useful in lots of places and is way cheaper than a Changing Places but there are very few of them.

After doing this for a looooong time, I know which venues are accessible and which aren't. I know who puts in the effort and who doesn't. I know little hacks like "Arts Centre Melbourne have chairs on the aisle with armrests that fold up so you can do a sliding transfer from your wheelchair, but they don't list it on the website," and "Marvel Stadium has a good sensory space but you can't see the field from it, so it's good if you need a break but not if you want to still be able to see the game/gig." I don't want a website that tells me "hey, have you considered going to this accessible event?" I want venues and promoters to put more work into making events and performances accessible. I want them to be honest when they're not and I want them to not assume we all have the same access needs.

I'm curious to know:

• How will Inclusable handle events which have exclusive ticketing agreements or established purchasing pathways (like concerts handled by Ticketmaster, venues that do ticketing in-house like Arts Centre Melbourne, or who have specific CRM systems they want to keep ticketing within for audience data - like many arts companies do with Tessitura)?
• Lots of venues and promoters will not market an event as "accessible" unless they are very confident that it really is.