Quick navigation<\/strong><\/p>\n [banneradvert]<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n It is not okay to brush over needs like the ones described above. While many autistic people proudly and validly identify as disabled, autistic accessibility alone is not a substitute for all forms of accessibility, nor should it be conflated with physical disabilities. Organizers who either lump the two together or assume that taking care of one is \u201csufficient enough\u201d to cover \u201call the disability bases\u201d do a disservice to all disabled people and their loved ones. Able-bodied autistic folks need to be more mindful of this, too.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the thing: accessibility is not a concern to brush over, and that goes for autistic, cognitive, sensory, physical accessibility, and more. Your events really must <\/em>be physically accessible. In fact, in many instances, it is federal law.<\/a> Unfortunately, ADA requirements barely scratch the surface of accessibility, but knowing that there is a minimum requirement in this (not-so-inclusive) nation in the first place says something about the importance of this matter. You can do better than this bare minimum. Whenever in your power, make sure to accommodate both manual and power wheelchairs in the entrances, restrooms, and seating areas, provide clear paths to move through, and provide wide, sturdy seating options for folks who need to sit down. Be aware of other power-driven mobility devices (OPDMD) too, and be prepare to welcome them (depending<\/a> on your venue, it may also be law).<\/p>\n Many people reading this series are musicians who put on smaller concerts in alternative spaces. I know you may not have the power to change the venue you rent, nor might you be able to secure a place in your budget, but you can still do things to make your space more physically accessible. Talk to the venue owners (or house owners). Ask if certain entrances can be used, if there can be someone on hand to assist guests, and if furniture can be moved to provide bigger pathways. If chairs are small and flimsy, try to add seating that can hold more weight and bigger sizes, otherwise fat people won\u2019t be able to sit. If you\u2019re looking for a house concert venue, consider asking hosts if they have accessible restrooms and entrances. No matter what venue you end up choosing, remember to be transparent in your invitations, clearly stating what you are and aren\u2019t equipped for.<\/p>\n People who want to attend artistic events exist in all <\/em>kinds of bodies and have all kinds of needs. This includes wheelchair users, fat people, autistic people, visually impaired people, folks who use canes or walkers, and people who sometimes use aids but sometimes do not. It includes both visibly and invisibly disabled people, as well as those with multiple disabilities. If you haven\u2019t seen much physical diversity at concerts before, it\u2019s probably because most concerts aren\u2019t sufficiently accessible to begin with.<\/p>\n Image: Christian Chen<\/p><\/div>\n <\/a><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Stimming PSA<\/strong><\/p>\n Last week, someone asked for a suggestion regarding how to tell audiences that simming and moving are okay, as well as good ways to let allistics know that this may be happening. I suggested writing a \u201cstimming PSA\u201d and including it on programs, event pages, signs, and in verbal announcements. There\u2019s no perfect way to do this that prevents all issues and pushback, but it\u2019s worth a try. Here\u2019s an example of a stimming announcement that you can make.<\/p>\n \u201cThis event is a stim-positive space! All means of expression are valid, and we want you to express yourselves comfortably — whether that means sitting still or flapping your hands. We ask that you refrain from touching other people, but if you\u2019d like to make noise or move around beyond the confines of your seat, you can do so freely in [designated spot]. [State whether the entertainment will still be viewable or audible from that spot]. Last but not least, respect is required for all, so if you notice a means of expression that you\u2019re not used to — and as long as it\u2019s not harming anyone — be kind.\u201c<\/p>\n Emailing a venue about accessibility<\/strong><\/p>\n Option 1:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Dear ___________,<\/p>\n I\u2019m hoping to attend your event next week but wanted to check on a few accessibility things beforehand.<\/p>\n First, will there be ____________? Second, might there be an option to ____________? Third, can you provide more details about ____________?<\/p>\n ___________[I, My friend, Many of my colleagues, etc.] am\/are autistic, which can make it difficult to ___________ and ___________. Knowing your answers in advance could help me plan better or know what to expect before confirming my ticket.<\/p>\n Anyway, your concert sounds right up my alley, so I hope I can be there! ___________ is simply the best…<\/p>\n Thanks so much,<\/p>\n ___________<\/p>\n Option 2:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Hi there,<\/p>\n I\u2019m really hoping to attend your event tomorrow, so could you help me by answering a few questions about accessibility? I am autistic and have trouble ____________.<\/p>\n First, is there more information you could provide in advance about parking, restrooms, and ____________? Having more information would lighten my cognitive load and help me plan.<\/p>\n Second, is the venue air conditioned and\/or heated? I am very sensitive to ____________ and would like to come prepared either way.<\/p>\n Thanks so much. Hope to be there!<\/p>\n ____________<\/p>\n Option 3:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Dear ____________,<\/p>\n Spectacular performance of ____________ last night! I particularly loved the ____________.<\/p>\n I noticed something in your venue that I wanted to make sure you\u2019re aware of: The ____________ in the ____________ is quite ____________, which can make it difficult for autistic folks and other people with cognitive or sensory needs to ____________. Perhaps you could try ____________ instead? [Optional: Something like that would certainly make it easier for me\/my ____________ to attend in the future.]<\/p>\n Thanks for considering! I\u2019m happy to help with the endeavor if I can. Bravo again on the concert.<\/p>\n Sincerely,<\/p>\n ____________<\/p>\n Calling out ableist language<\/strong><\/p>\n Ableist language runs rampant, even in progressive communities. It is often unintentional and due to lack of awareness. If you notice ableist language, it can be difficult to speak up, but we all must try. Check out this great list of ableist terms and alternatives to consider<\/a>. Here are some ideas for how to phrase these tricky conversations:<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you mean by ____________? Do you just mean ____________ instead? Okay, yeah, let\u2019s use that <\/em>instead, because ____________ is actually considered ableist, and I know you\u2019re not trying to be like that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhoa, I haven\u2019t heard that word in so long! Turns out, it\u2019s actually a huge bummer for people with cognitive impairments. I think what you meant was ____________, right? You normally don\u2019t use ableist language, so I\u2019m telling you this because I know you care.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOof, I totally agree with your sentiment, but that\u2019s not a word I like. Can we say ____________ instead? I don\u2019t want to make ____________ people feel unwelcome.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, I think you accidentally used an ableist slur. Did you mean that? It\u2019s interesting how language can be so ingrained in our culture that we totally forget about the origins.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHeads up, you used an ableist term on page 3: ____________. A lot of people don\u2019t realize it\u2019s a degrading word, but once you know it, you can\u2019t unsee it\u2026 If you think about it, it makes sense why it\u2019s offensive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrust me, I make mistakes all the time. Some of this stuff is so ingrained that we never realized what we grew up saying. Good thing we\u2019re still learning now, because yikes! Glad that word is gone from my vocabulary.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, I know you don\u2019t mean it that way, but that phrase is actually considered derogatory toward people with disabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n This concludes our four-part series <\/strong>on Improving Autistic Accessibility in Music. Thank you to NewMusicBox for giving me this platform. And thank you, readers, for your time, for putting art into the world, and for your commitment to improving accessibility for autistic people.<\/p>\n If you\u2019d like to contact me<\/strong> personally, request an autistic accessibility consultation, listen to my music, join my artistic family, commission work, or talk to me on social media (@chrysanthetan), the proper links are below.<\/p>\n Professional:<\/strong> Website<\/a> \/ Email<\/a> \/ Spotify<\/a> Sincerely, People who want to attend artistic events exist in *all* kinds of bodies and have all kinds of needs. Wrapping up her four-part Introductory Course to Improving Autistic Accessibility in Music, Chrysanthe Tan shares pro-tips, concrete ways to take positive action, and sample scripts for a variety of music-related scenarios. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":610,"featured_media":356287,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,40,38],"tags":[229,524,512,530],"nmb_categories":[6,25],"how_to_category":[],"nmb_tags":[],"internal_taxonomy":[907],"class_list":["post-356266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-columns","category-nmbx","tag-accessibility","tag-audience-accommodation","tag-autism","tag-dialog","nmb_categories-articles","nmb_categories-how-tos","internal_taxonomy-disabilities"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
Pro-Tips<\/h4>\n
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<\/a>Take More Action<\/h4>\n
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Sample scripts<\/h4>\n
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\nSocial:<\/strong> Twitter<\/a> \/ Instagram<\/a> \/ Facebook<\/a> \/ YouTube<\/a>
\nPersonal: <\/strong>Patreon<\/a><\/p>\n
\nChrysanthe<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"