Disabled young people are “failed” by music sector, new report finds

Disabled young people face disproportionate barriers to access the music and arts industry, according to a new report from Youth Music.

Released yesterday (September 3) by the UK music charity, the new report finds that disabled youth encounter limited access into the arts sector, despite their rights being "enshrined in law”.

It finds that their participation in the arts is "lower, shorter-term, and more likely to be home-based", and that they "frequently encounter discrimination, fear of judgement, lack of youth voice and agency, limiting expectations, and tokenism".

The report also notes that just 9% of the workforce in the arts are disabled, compared to 16% in the general UK workforce outside of the creative sector.

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It finds that barriers include low pay despite higher living costs, and “precarious” freelance careers where illnesses can “wipe out work and income”.

“We must conclude from this research that the arts sector is failing disabled young people,” says Youth Music CEO, Matt Griffiths. “The proportion of disabled people in the arts workforce is increasing, but remains woefully low.”

“There are some brilliant people and organisations out there offering disabled people creative opportunities, but the research tells us they’re the exception, not the norm.”

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In response to the new report, Youth Music has launched a £2.2 million, one-off fund to improve access into the arts sector for disabled young people, named Shift the Scene.

Shift the Scene hopes to give long-term opportunities to disabled youth looking to enter the creative industry, and help to “close the disability employment gap”.

The fund will open for applications on October 31, and will close on November 28. Those who are successful will be notified in March 2026. Find out more about Shift the Scene here, and read the new report here.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter