More than Compliance: Accessibility as Experience Design
Moving beyond baseline compliance toward genuinely immersive, inclusive experiences is one of the most meaningful ways the event industry can level up.
The conversation around accessibility in live events is evolving fast and there's real opportunity in that evolution. The events leading the way aren't just checking a box to do the right thing, they're effectively building deeper, more resonant connections with their audiences.
Twitch gets it.
The Twitch community is one of the most diverse, inclusive communities in live entertainment. As a streaming service, a big part of that inclusivity is based on its online nature which inherently removes many barriers that would otherwise exist IRL. This means that expectations are high when Twitch moves in-person for TwitchCon with tens of thousands of people, a massive venue, and all the complexities of a large-scale live event at play.
As event designers and developers, we asked early in the planning stages: “How can we translate the accessibility of online community into a real-world event?"
By prioritizing accessibility early in the design phase, we set a standard across the project and it resulted in an intentional, seamless destination designed for the entire Twitch community.
More than a footnote.
Accessibility often gets treated like a compliance checklist, bolted on late in the process. What the team behind TwitchCon did differently is integrate accessibility into experience planning and design from day one. In collaboration with the City of Rotterdam and accessibility director Marianne Dijkshoorn, TwitchCon Rotterdam was built around the principle of equal participation from the very start. As Dijkshoorn put it: "People attend events to experience, connect, and belong. Too often, people with disabilities still face barriers because accessibility is treated as an extra. TwitchCon shows it can be different: an event designed so everyone can truly participate."
Equal participation is an event philosophy that influences everything from site design to staffing and operations planning.
So what does it look like in practice?
Good accessibility design isn't complicated. It's thoughtful and guided by the principle of equal participation. And it's not a single role. All event functions have a role to play in its implementation, from design and production to operations.
Taking the lead from TwitchCon, here are some accessibility considerations to action pre-, during, and post-event:
Communicate as much as possible pre-event, so that attendees can plan venue drop off/access and anticipate how they'll find what they need when they arrive, e.g. food options, water locations, and accessibility maps
Establish accessible seating and queueing for attendee and plus one access across the venue
Add reflective floor tape for easier navigation and guidance
Offer on-site mobility support, including wheelchair and equipment rentals
Create low-stimulation spaces for sensory breaks
Train staff on respectful, informed guest interactions
Plan evacuations inclusively for a range of mobility and support needs
We're in this together.
None of this is impossible. What it requires is commitment and early planning. Identifying and aligning with partners ensures a diversity of voices and perspectives are included within event planning and design.
And it helps to widen stakeholder input, too. Consider how attendees can provide their feedback before, during, and after an event. Perhaps a guest committee can participate in accessibility audits prior to event open, or join roundtable discussions during the event itself, or provide feedback via post-event surveys.
These joint efforts and inputs empower event developers with the support and insights needed to achieve that equal participation goal. It just takes intentionality from the start.
