Inclusion is not optional — it’s essential. Yet too many arts companies still write disability access policies that look good on paper but fail in practice. Whether you’re running a small touring theatre company, a gallery, or a major venue, a strong disability access policy can transform who engages with your work and how.

If you would like further support with this, click to find out about our training and consultation services.

Here are five common mistakes arts organisations make when writing an access policy, and — crucially — how to avoid them.

1. Treating the policy as a one-off compliance document

Far too many arts companies write a disability access policy once and never look at it again. It gets filed, uploaded, and forgotten — a box ticked for funders.

The problem? Accessibility isn’t static. Your buildings change, your digital platforms evolve, and new creative access technologies emerge all the time. A policy that’s three years old might already be misleading your audiences.

How to fix it

• Make your access policy a living document. Review it every 6–12 months and after any production or major change.
• Keep a simple ‘what’s changed’ log visible on your website so audiences can see progress.
• Include measurable KPIs — for example:
  • % of performances with captions, audio description or BSL
  • response time to access enquiries
  • number of access improvements made annually
• Require board sign-off and appoint one board member to oversee accessibility.

This approach signals to funders, partners and audiences that access is an ongoing commitment, not a dusty PDF.

2. Not meaningfully involving disabled people

One of the biggest and most damaging mistakes is tokenism — consulting “a few people” once and calling it co-creation. If your policy is written about disabled people, not with them, it will fail.

Disabled artists, audiences and technicians bring insights that transform access from an obligation into genuine inclusion.

How to fix it

• Co-write your policy with paid disabled contributors. Their lived experience is expertise — budget for it.
• Establish a Lived Experience Advisory Panel with paid members who review and shape access plans.
• Use mystery-auditor visits by disabled audience members to test how your policy works in practice.
• Publish a brief note acknowledging contributors and how they informed the policy.

Involving disabled people early saves time, money and embarrassment later — and it builds lasting trust.

3. Focusing only on physical access and legal compliance

Too many access policies stop at ramps, toilets and the Equality Act. They ignore sensory, cognitive, communication and digital barriers — which are often the bigger issue.

How to fix it

• Take a whole-person approach: cover physical, sensory, cognitive, communicative and digital access in equal depth.
• Use personas to test your policy — for example, “Sam, a blind audience member,” or “Jess, a neurodivergent actor.”
• Ensure your website and ticketing meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards for digital accessibility.
• Provide alternative formats (plain-text, large print, easy-read, audio).
• Develop relaxed or sensory-friendly performances and promote them prominently.

Modern access is about how people experience your work — not just whether they can get through the door.

4. Not resourcing access — no budget, no owner, no training

Many arts organisations write ambitious access policies but assign no money, time or accountability to deliver them. Without resources, access will always be the first thing cut.

How to fix it

• Include a dedicated access line in every production and marketing budget. Treat it as essential, like lighting or insurance.
• Appoint a named Access Lead with time, authority and a clear remit.
• Make access training mandatory for staff, volunteers and freelancers.
• Work with disabled trainers to ensure sessions are practical and grounded in lived experience.
• Keep a small contingency fund for last-minute reasonable adjustments.

Access without resourcing is empty rhetoric. When it’s budgeted, it becomes a normal part of production planning.

5. Poor or inconsistent communication about access

This one is everywhere: inaccessible PDFs, outdated venue info, front-of-house staff who don’t know what the policy says. If people can’t find or trust your access information, they won’t come.

How to fix it

• Create a short, plain-English access statement on every event page outlining key details — step-free routes, BSL, captions, quiet spaces, contact info.
• Offer multiple contact options (email, phone, text relay, WhatsApp) and commit to a response time.
• Provide accessible materials automatically (large print or audio programmes, easy-read guides).
• Maintain a live access status online — e.g., “Lift currently out of order, alternative route available.”
• Train box-office and FOH teams to give consistent, accurate information.

Good communication is one of the simplest and cheapest access improvements you can make.

Innovative approaches that raise the bar

Forward-thinking arts companies are already going beyond compliance. Here are a few simple ideas that show leadership and earn audience loyalty:

• Access Passports: let audience members store their access requirements once, so they don’t need to repeat them each time they book.
• Access Heatmaps: visual seating maps showing sensory factors (light spill, sound levels, quick exits).
• Paid Micro-grants: small stipends for disabled artists or audience members to test new access approaches.
• Real-time updates: SMS or WhatsApp alerts about last-minute access changes.
• Mystery Access Audits: regular paid reviews by disabled evaluators, with public action reports.

These innovations don’t just improve access — they build credibility and show that your organisation listens and evolves.

Quick checklist for arts companies

• Policy reviewed every 6–12 months and changes logged
• Co-authored or approved by paid lived-experience contributors
• Covers physical, sensory, cognitive, communicative and digital access
• Named Access Lead and board-level responsibility
• Ring-fenced budget and contingency for access
• Mandatory, co-delivered access training
• Clear access statement on every event page
• Accessible formats always available
• Live venue access information
• Regular mystery audits and public reporting

Final word

A well-written disability access policy isn’t just good practice — it’s a statement of values. It tells artists and audiences alike that your organisation believes in equality, creativity and belonging. The arts should be for everyone — but that doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when policies are living, co-created, properly resourced and clearly communicated.

Stop ticking boxes. Start building inclusion into the heart of your organisation — on stage, online and in every seat.

To get support with this, find out about our training and consultation services.