UnMute Breaks Barriers for Artists with Disabilities

UnMute, the UK's first roster of disabled musicians, has been launched to combat ableist booking practices and career obstacles. Founded by Andrew Lansley, a musician who previously hid his autism, the initiative aims to make venues and promoters more comfortable booking artists with specialist access requirements. Disabled musicians face a significant pay gap, earning approximately £4,000 less annually, and many report career barriers tied to their conditions.

Just over a third of disabled musicians openly share their condition with collaborators, and a substantial number do not communicate their access needs to venues. Lansley emphasizes that the disabled community seeks to be viewed as an investment, not a cost. The UnMute roster, a collaboration involving Global Local, Continental Drifts, the Musicians' Union, and Attitude is Everything, represents artists to secure bookings and ensure their access needs are met via access riders.

These access riders, a tool introduced by the MU in 2021, outline essential requirements for disabled performers. The initiative gained traction after Lansley's experience at Glastonbury in 2022, where few venues inquired about his access needs. Artists like emzae (Emma Shaw) have already experienced positive outcomes, securing higher-paying gigs after joining UnMute. The collective Drag Syndrome, which had previously announced a pause on UK bookings due to systemic failures, has also found renewed opportunities through this collaboration. Liverpool Sound City festival has committed to introducing access riders for all performers this January, signaling growing industry acceptance.