Report Finds Disabled Young People Are Being Failed By Arts Sector
Youth Music unveils ambitious £2.25M fund to enhance arts access for young people.
A new Youth Music report highlights the severe barriers disabled young people face when entering the UK arts sector. Despite legal protections, disabled youth participation in creative activities remains low and short-term, with many restricted to home-based projects. According to the UK music charity, young disabled creatives frequently encounter discrimination, fear of judgment, limited agency, unrealistic expectations, and tokenism. These systemic challenges severely hinder accessibility and equity across the creative industries.
A new Youth Music report reveals that disabled individuals make up just 9% of the UK arts sector workforce, compared to 16% in other industries. Matt Griffiths, CEO of Youth Music, noted that while creative industry representation is slowly rising, it remains significantly below the national average. He emphasized that exceptional, inclusive creative opportunities exist but are not yet widespread across the UK.
Youth Music has launched a new £2.25 million fund and its #ShiftTheScene campaign to create long-term creative industry opportunities for disabled youth. The application window for this accessibility fund closed on 28 November 2025, with successful applicants announced by Youth Music in spring 2026. Aligning with these inclusivity efforts, the Disabled Ravers Network recently built a new database to amplify disabled, neurodivergent, and deaf artists
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