We Are One CitizenFest takes place at venues across the city on Friday 9 and Saturday 10 August
An inclusive festival is set to take place in Glasgow next weekend.
We Are One CitizenFest will celebrate inclusivity at entertainment venues around Glasgow.
The festival kicks off on Friday 9 August with a disability-inclusive clubbing night at Strathclyde University’s student union, followed by a day of cultural and artistic activities around Glasgow’s Merchant City.
This follows the success of last summer’s You Can’t Stop the Beat! event which ENABLE Scotland organised at the city’s SWG3 venue. This event not only delivered an inclusive gig experience for young people who have a learning disability, but it also demonstrated what all venues can do to make gigs and events fully accessible.
The festival, which is being run by Citizen Network and sponsored by ENABLE Scotland, will celebrate the value of inclusion and equal citizenship. It will bring people together from across Scotland and beyond to support each other to create a world where everyone matters.
A variety of Scottish music acts, drama groups and voluntary organisations are participating in events across the Friday and Saturday. It will follow on from the IASSIDD academic conference on learning disabilities which will bring over 1,200 international experts in the scientific study of learning disability to Glasgow, with many of the attendees expected to stay for this celebration of inclusion and equality.
ENABLE Scotland director Jan Savage said: “Socialising, attending gigs and staying out late with friends are taken for granted by many of us, but our members have told us these opportunities are simply not there for many people who have a learning disability. To build a truly equal society, that needs to change – and our You Can’t Stop the Beat! gig last summer showed that venues absolutely can make the adjustments necessary to make experiences fully inclusive.”
Frances Brown of Radical Visions – who are supporting Citizen Network with organising the event – said: “We see this festival as a great opportunity for all individuals, regardless of their accessibility needs, to fully participate in what will be an amazing two days of entertainment and activism. It will also highlight the real potential for entertainment venues to make the steps necessary to ensure that everyone can enjoy Scotland’s nightlife and culture.”
All of the festival’s events will take place with an emphasis on accessibility for people who have learning disabilities and their carers. It is set up with their needs in mind, to ensure they can enjoy a festival atmosphere in an inclusive environment. It also offers the opportunity for everyone to be able to find out about the variety of ways they can get involved in creative projects within their own communities.
To find out more, visit the event's Facebook page.
