Dylan Alcott’s Get Skilled Access teams with Live Nation, Ticketmaster to improve access at shows
Live Nation and its sister company Ticketmaster have struck a partnership with Get Skilled Access, the consultancy company co-founded by Dylan Alcott, the radio host, elite wheelchair athlete and disability advocate, which should pave the way for better accessibility to shows for fans with disabilities.
The partnership, announced this morning, promises to “improve accessibility” and “set new standards” in the live sector, and has already seen Get Skilled Access, launched in response to the challenges that people with a disability face in their everyday lives, provide accessibility training to 150 LN employees across Australasia.
“Every fan has the right to equal access of live entertainment,” comments Roger Field CEO of Live Nation Australasia and Maria O’Connor, managing director of Ticketmaster Australia and New Zealand in a joint statement.
“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.”
Dylan Alcott
LN and Ticketmaster’s commitment to improving accessibility will roll across a host of initiatives and will be reflected on the upcoming U2 Joshua Tree 2019 Tour, due to kick off this November, a statement explains.
And on the ticketing front, Ticketmaster has started testing a so-called enhanced online booking experience across its channels to help those fans with accessible needs more flexibility and choice when buying tickets.
Roger Field
Alcott, a three-time Paralympic gold medallist and world No. 1 male wheelchair tennis player, used the platform of his keynote speech at last month’s VMA Congress in Melbourne to rally the live industry to make venues more accessible for people with disability.
During his opening day presentation, Alcott recounted his own journey, his love of live music and sport (including one unforgettable story of meeting his hero Roger Federer) and how, with a laptop and some motivation, he organised the Ability Fest, via his charity Dylan Alcott Foundation.
Maria O’Connor
The following day, Alcott and Get Skilled Access co-founder Nick Morris addressed the live industry, sharing their vision of a seamless live event experience for everyone, including the 4.5 million people in Australia living with disabilities.
“It’s Get Skilled Access and my mission to help people understand disability by driving organisations to be more inclusive,” says Alcott in a statement. “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. 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.”
Since his twin presentations, Alcott collected the French Open quad wheelchair trophy at Roland Garros and teamed up with David Wagner of the U.S to win the doubles crown.
Earlier this year, Alcott joined the Hit Network after two years as a regular host with Triple J. Currently, he’s preparing for Wimbledon and he has his sights set on competing at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2020.
This article originally appeared on The Industry Observer, which is now part of The Music Network.