Flemish city festival continues its award-winning inclusion policy

There is a music festival called ‘The Ghent Festival of Flanders’. It takes place every year in September in the city of Gent, Belgium. During the festival, many concerts are organized all over the city. The event attracts about 55 000 visitors each edition, amongst them also people with disabilities. The organizers attach a great importance to making the event accessible, so that every person with a disability can enjoy the concerts without any barriers. Especially for this, a strategy was developed called ‘WE SHARE MUSIC’. From this, many initiatives have come up to increase accessibility, for example a project called ‘Artistic Upgrade’, in which musicians with disabilities are given the chance to perform during the festival. The Ghent Festival of Flanders said that they will continue their inclusion strategy for this years’ edition.

For the 58th edition of the ‘Ghent Festival of Flanders’, the organizers are continuing their successful policy of inclusion and accessibility. With the slogan “WE SHARE MUSIC”, their strategy of fully including people with disabilities and special needs is carried on.

The Ghent Festival of Flanders will take place from the 12th of September until the 27th of September 2015 in the city of Ghent, Belgium. Every year, more than 180 concerts take place involving no less than 1500 national and international artists. Each time, the event attracts about 55.000 people, amongst them also people with disabilities.

In order to create an inclusive environment, the organization developed a strategy consisting of five key values: the reduction of barriers, inclusion, continuity, close consultation with the entire sector and voluntary work.
Based on these aspects, several steps have been taken towards more inclusion, such as the so-called ‘Blind Date’-initiative for people with a visual impairment: they receive discount, free assistance on the spot, as well as program booklets in braille and transportation to and from certain concerts.
Another initiative is called ‘Artistic Upgrade’, where a musician or ensemble with disabilities is given the opportunity to perform during the festival. ‘Artistic Upgrade’ offers, amongst others, professional support and advice, vocal coaching and it can be a step stone towards independent fundraising.

The festival’s inclusion strategy was launched 15 years ago, and has kept evolving ever since.
In 2014, French bank BNP Paribas won the highest Belgian award for philanthropy, the Caïusprize, for supporting the inclusion initiatives of the Ghent Festival of Flanders.

The Ghent Festival of Flanders stresses that it will keep improving its accessibility and inclusion policy by continuously monitoring and communicating with social target groups and related organizations, as there is still room for improvement.
The festival aims for an environment in which people, with and without disabilities, intellectually or physically, feel comfortable and freed from every possible barrier.

For more information about Ghent Festival of Flanders, visit their website.
For further inquiries about the event, contact Annelore Camps: annelore@festival.be
To visit the festivals’ Facebook page, click here.