Lecturer creates disabled musician roster for gigs

A lecturer who has launched a worldwide database of musicians with disabilities says he wants to give them better access to "opportunities for success".

Bass player and senior lecturer in music business at the University of Gloucestershire, Andrew Lansley, is behind UnMute, which aims to get more artists with disabilities on to live line-ups.

Lansley said his project is aimed at "democratising access to people's amazing talent".

Bristol Gig Buddies, an organisation which supports adults with learning disabilities to go to music events, said the project "reinforces the idea that music spaces are for everyone".

The project has been in development for two years and has now gone live with the support of the Musicians' Union and Global Local.

Lansley said: "I realised unless I did it, it wasn't going to happen."

Among the acts who have applied to join the roster are Drag Syndrome, a collective of musicians with Down's Syndrome, and Deaf Rave, which comprises deaf and hard of hearing artists.

A spokesperson from Gig Buddies, which started in Bristol and operates across the UK, said access to "music space", whether as audience members or performers, "is still not equal".

"For the people we support, seeing disabled musicians represented more widely is so important," they said.

"It reinforces the idea that music spaces are for everyone and that performing or being part of the Bristol music scene is achievable for all.

"We welcome initiatives like Unmute who aim to increase representation of disabled musicians and create clearer pathways into the industry."

John Shortell from the Musicians' Union said this is the "first concrete scheme we've seen that can have a tangible impact on the employment of disabled musicians".

"It's an area that's underdiscussed.

"I think it's to do with a lot of attitudinal barriers that disabled musicians may cost more, or be more work to employ or engage and that's not true.

"This is a project that's ensuring visibility and equality across the music industry," he added.

Applications to be enrolled onto the database are now open.

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